The wind-swept hills and breezy shores of the United Kingdom make for the perfect climate in which to harness the renewable energy of wind power. Second only to biomass, wind power is one of the primary renewable energy sources in the United Kingdom. The UK maintains over a 4 GW installed capacity of wind power, and that number is sure to rise.

A program instituted by the European Union calls for at least 20% of the energy consumed there to be generated with renewable energy sources by 2020. The United Kingdom agreed to join the venture in 2007, and the country’s individual target is 15%. Wind power accounted for 1.5% of generated electricity in the UK at the time of the agreement. Much of the wind power needed to produce this amount will be collected in onshore and offshore wind farms.

One obstacle that wind power faces in the United Kingdom is that its efficiency and productivity are debatable. Some manufacturers claim that the turbines will produce more electricity than is actually being measured. These findings may be skewed, however, because the turbines are being installed near inhabited areas in order to power the homes found there. Unfortunately, wind speeds sufficient to produce a useful amount of electricity are often too low in these residential areas. Buildings in towns and cities prohibit free wind flow, so some wind farms are forced into more rural locales that do not require as much electricity and are therefore less attractive in terms of manufacturing cost versus production.

In some of these less desirable areas, cooperatives are formed. Though not great in number in the United Kingdom, cooperatives such as the Baywind Energy Co-operative provide members with one vote apiece. Baywind’s membership exceeds 1,300 people and invests a portion of its profits in environmental initiatives.

Lincolnshire, located in the eastern portion of England, is home to the Lynn and Inner Dowsing Wind Farm. The community is known for its agriculture, and its relatively flat land enables the winds to rush off the coast to inland areas. Constructed in the shallow waters off Lincolnshire’s coast, the Lynn and Inner Dowsing Wind Farm began operation in 2008 and is capable of generating enough energy to power 130,000 homes.

As the European Union continues to champion the cause of renewable energy, the United Kingdom and wind power are sure to be an integral part of the plan.