Asger Risom
The UK is testing plans to offer free or discounted electricity during periods of excess wind power, aiming to reduce billions lost each year due to grid limitations and renewable energy waste.
Europe is generating more renewable energy than it can use, but much of it is going to waste.
Now, one country is testing a different approach—giving excess power away instead of shutting it down.
According to Euronews, the UK is exploring plans to offer households free or discounted electricity during periods of high wind generation. The proposal aims to reduce the need to turn off wind turbines when the grid cannot handle surplus supply.
The issue stems from outdated infrastructure. Europe’s energy grid, originally built around coal and gas, struggles to distribute power from remote wind farms.
As a result, large amounts of renewable energy are curtailed each year.
Billions Lost
The scale of the waste is significant. Euronews reports that the UK alone lost £1.47 billion in 2025 by switching off wind turbines and relying on alternative energy sources.
Germany also paid €435 million in compensation for unused renewable energy, highlighting the broader European challenge.
Across the continent, curtailment levels have risen, particularly in countries such as Spain and France, as grid bottlenecks persist.
A study by Aurora Energy Research found that 72 terawatt-hours of electricity—roughly equivalent to Austria’s annual consumption—was curtailed in 2024.
Grid Bottlenecks
Experts say the core issue is the mismatch between where energy is produced and where it is needed.
“When wind speeds get too strong, the electricity grid is often filled with more green energy than it actually needs,” UK firm Octopus Energy said.
The company added that limited grid capacity creates congestion, forcing operators to shut down turbines while simultaneously relying on fossil fuels elsewhere.
Upgrading infrastructure could solve the problem, but it would require significant investment and time.
Free Power Plan
The UK government’s proposal targets areas most affected by grid constraints, including parts of Scotland and eastern England.
“Sometimes there is too much wind for our outdated grid to handle,” the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said on X.
“Rather than paying wind farms to switch off we’re trialling a new system where people who live near these constrained areas get cheaper – or even free – electricity.”
Calls For Reform
Industry leaders argue that temporary trials may not go far enough.
Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, said longer-term changes would better encourage investment in technologies like electric vehicles and battery storage.
“Permanent changes would mean you could buy an electric car, or a heat pump, or batteries to use power when it’s cheap – or build a data center,” he said.
He warned that without structural reforms, short-term measures could have limited impact.
Sources: Euronews, Aurora Energy Research
