Hutton announces major offshore wind push

13 Dec 2007

John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform announced on Monday at the "Partners in Europe" Energy Seminar, Berlin, proposals for a potential major expansion of UK offshore wind – with a draft plan that could allow companies to develop up to 25 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2020. This is in addition to the 8 gigawatts already planned. The Scoping Document, published on Monday, sets out Government’s expectations for future offshore wind farm sites in UK waters. This potential expansion will be subject to the outcome of a Strategic Environmental Assessment which could result in new sites for developers from 2010 onwards. Following a round of site awards, offshore wind power could provide virtually all electricity for UK's domestic power consumption by 2020.

According to BWEA Chief Executive Maria McCaffery “This is a decisive step towards delivering Britain’s share of the EU 2020 renewables target. “We welcome the Government’s effort to place wind energy on a sound footing and promote Britain into a leader in this sector. This expansion will mean that by 2015 the UK's offshore market will be twice the size of any other national offshore wind market.”

Capacity equal to half the world’s existing offshore wind fleet is currently being built in UK waters. Earlier this year the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the 1,000MW London Array, received its final approval and it is expected to be completed in the Thames Estuary by 2012. The 500MW Greater Gabbard and 300MW Thanet projects in the Thames are aiming for construction by 2010, while the 450MW Walney scheme was approved recently. In 2008, the UK will overtake Denmark as the largest generator of offshore wind power in the world.