Dash_for_gas

Dash for Gas

Dash for Gas

1990s movement towards natural gas–based electricity generation in Britain


The Dash for Gas was the 1990s shift by the newly privatized companies in the electricity sector of the United Kingdom towards generation of electricity using natural gas. Gas consumption peaked in 2001 and has been in decline since 2010.

UK gas production, consumption, and net exports to 2015

The key reasons for this shift were: (a) political: The privatization of the UK electricity industry in 1990; the regulatory change that allowed gas to be used as a fuel for power generation;[citation needed] (b) economic: the high interest rates of the time, which favoured gas turbine power stations, which were quick to build, over coal and nuclear power stations, which were larger but slower to build; the decline in wholesale gas prices; the desire by the regional electricity companies to diversify their sources of electricity supply and establish a foothold in the profitable generation market; (c) technical: advances in electricity generation technology (specifically combined cycle gas turbine generators (CCGT) with higher relative efficiencies and lower capital costs. An underpinning factor in the dash for gas was the recent development of North Sea gas.

In 1990, gas turbine power stations made up 5% of the UK's generating capacity. By 2002, the new CCGT power stations made up 28% UK generating capacity; gas turbines accounted for a further 2%. It is estimated the Dash for Gas cost £11bn.[1]

Gas-fired power stations with more than 30 MW installed capacity commissioned between 1990 and 2002 are listed below.[2]

More information Year of commission or year generation began, Power Station Name ...

References

  1. Estimate from Climate Change Capital analysis, quoted in 'Unlocking investment to deliver Britain’s low carbon future: report by the Green Investment Bank Commission. June 2010
  2. Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics; Table 5.11: Power stations in the United Kingdom, May 2011
  3. "Roosecote Power Station to be demolished". www.centrica.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014.
  4. Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics; Table 5.11: Power stations in the United Kingdom, May 2004
  5. "Derwent CHP plant set to close at end of 2012". chpa.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 March 2013.

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