Carno — United Kingdom

Carno is a 33.6 MW wind power plant in Wales, United Kingdom. It is operated by RWE npower. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 29k homes (estimated). It ranks #360 of 2,860 United Kingdom power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1996, it is around 30 years old — long-established. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, wind supplies about 29.4% of United Kingdom's electricity; the national grid averages 217 gCO₂/kWh (64.4% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GBR0002564.

Capacity provenance

The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 49 MW for Carno wind farm, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000910450; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 33.6 MW, Carno is well above the median wind plant in United Kingdom (10 MW). Technically it is described as Onshore. Wind turbines convert moving air into electricity; output is variable and site-dependent, and modern turbines deliver some of the lowest-cost new generation on many grids.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Share of United Kingdom wind capacity

0.1% of 23,763 MW across 779 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

1 of 334 dated wind plants in United Kingdom is older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest wind plants in United Kingdom

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by RWE npower. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This wind plant converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity through turbine rotors. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 52.5°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 49% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 79/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #130 largest wind power plant of 779 in United Kingdom by capacity.

United Kingdom has 779 wind power plants in this dataset, together about 23,763 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Carno 'A' Wind Farm · Wind · 16.8 MW · Wales
• Carno 'A'and 'B' Wind Farm (Extension) · Wind · 15.6 MW · Wales
• Cemmaes 'C' Wind Farm · Wind · 15.3 MW · Wales
• Tirgwynt · Wind · 24.6 MW · Wales
• Mynydd Clogau · Wind · 14.5 MW · Wales
• Cemmaes · Wind · 15.3 MW · Wales

Location

Coordinates 52.5494, -3.6082 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions