The UK’s first offshore wind farm, with two 2MW windtubines
installed, at a cost of £4m, 1km off Blyth Harbour in Northumbria,
is now generating at, we’re told, less then 5p/kWh, having been
formally switched on by (then) DTI Energy Minister Helen Liddell in
Dec. She said that ‘rapid development of offshore windfarms
over the years immediately ahead is a key element in the Governments
strategy for renewable energy.’
Prospects certainly look positive following the news that British
Energy, the UK nuclear plant operator, have joined with Renewable
Energy Systems Ltd, in a joint offshore wind venture.
Maybe one day we can rival the Danish programme. Their latest addition
is the 20 2MW turbine project now installed at Middlegrunden, 2km
off Copenhagen harbour, half owned by 9000 co-op members and half
by the local utility.
..and PV may soon too
The DTI’s new White Paper ‘’Enterprise, Skills and
Innovation’ says that the UK PV solar programme will be expanded
to be ‘ in line with’ that in Germany and Japan. The focus
seems to be on social housing. Details in Renew 131.
