Leading engineering experts believe that the UK could accommodate up to a fifth of its energy coming from renewable wind sources without any major infrastructure changes.
However, anything more than 20% of the power generation coming from wind sources would require significant changes to how the grid is managed.
The findings, by the Royal Academy of Engineering, comes as the Government looks for 15% of the country’s energy being provided through renewable sources.
“We see wind as playing a major role in the future but the task of decarbonisation represents a paradigm shift in the UK’s energy system – the scale of the challenge should not be underestimated,” said Lancaster University’s Professor Roger Kemp, who was one of the report’s creators.
“Wind energy will be only one of the tools available alongside other generating technologies, better connectivity and demand side measures.
“All will need to be carefully integrated using a systems engineering approach.”
The report found that the mechanisms already in place on the national grid are enough to manage fluctuations in the supply that wind power may cause.
But an increase in electricity demand as more fossil fuel-based systems switch over will impact the amount of energy required.
The academy warned that decarbonisation would be necessary by 2030 if the UK is to meet energy and greenhouse emission targets by 2015.
As such, stronger partnerships between industry and the government, along with better long-term planning for carbon reduction and wind production are necessary, the report’s authors warned.
“As we progress towards a low-carbon future, the energy industry and infrastructure will have to evolve ahead of or with electricity demand to accommodate more wind,” said Professor Kemp.
“This evolution is complex and will also require other forms of low carbon generation, innovations in energy storage, management and more interconnections with the electricity grids in other countries.
“This will happen only if there is clarity in the government’s plans for the future decarbonisation of the country and a willingness to work together with industry in building confidence to invest in the UK energy market.
“Energy systems and technologies are global; several countries are ahead of the UK in developing wind energy and we will need to adopt best practice, wherever that might be.”
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