Wind energy in the Northeast broke a new record for instantaneous generation (peak generation), informed the National Electric System Operator (ONS). As of July 8, wind turbines produced 14,167 megawatts (MW), equivalent to 123.2% of demand in the region.
This amount is enough to supply the energy consumption of the entire Northeast for one minute, leaving 23.2%. For a minute that day, the region became an exporter of wind energy to the rest of the country.
The data are still being validated by the ONS. In addition to the wind record, the Northeast reached the record for instantaneous generation of solar energy. At 10:28 am last Tuesday (12), the region produced 2,963 MW of solar power. This is equivalent to 27.5% of the demand of the entire Northeast subsystem in that minute.
Traditionally, the month of July in the Northeast is known as the harvest of winds, with the strongest winds on the coast of the region boosting the production of wind energy. This was the first record for instantaneous wind energy generation recorded in 2022. ONS does not rule out the possibility that other records will be reached in the coming weeks.
According to the most recent version of the Monthly Energy Bulletin, from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the share of wind energy in the energy matrix is expected to increase from 10.6% in 2021 to 11.9% in 2022. The share of solar energy is expected to rise from 2.5% to 3.9% in the same comparison.
