2. BWEA on offshore wind

The British Wind Energy Association, together with Renewables East, the renewable energy agency for the East of England, has released new research which suggests that there could be 8GW of offshore wind capacity installed by 2015, supplying 6% of UK power needs, if there was a suitable new policy impetus. It would require around £10bn investment and would prevent the emissions of up to 20 million tonnes of CO2. However, they say that, without additional Government intervention, the offshore wind programme risks being stalled, the environmental and economic potential of this sector may not be fully realised and the opportunity for the UK to be a world leader could be missed.
The report; Offshore Wind: At a Crossroads, undertaken over four months through extensive interviews with over thirty companies in the sector, shows that without additional support, only 2,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind capacity will be installed in UK waters by 2015. This is only 25% of what is possible over the next ten years. The main reason cited for the difference between what is possible and what is expected is the gap between the current costs of developing offshore wind and the revenues available to developers through the current Renewables Obligation.
Commenting on the research, Marcus Rand, BWEA’s CEO said: ‘Government must use the ongoing Energy Review to put in place a new policy impetus for offshore wind. With this in place, offshore wind can join its sister technology onshore wind in the delivery of the bulk of the Government’s 20% by 2020 renewable aspirations’.
James Beal, Managing Director of Renewable East added: ‘The East of England is at the centre of the majority of offshore wind currently in development. We have already recognised the significant benefit that these developments can bring to the local economy, in building the UK’s second offshore wind farm at Scroby Sands, Great Yarmouth where local companies won orders totalling over £12 m. With the future developments we are looking for up to £2 bn to be captured in this region. For that reason the Suffolk County Council, East of England Development Agency and Europe are investing in a new £6 m business centre in Lowestoft to house and nurture the evolving offshore renewable energy industry. In support of this, Renewables East is directly investing over £500,000 of support into these companies. We are confident that Government will support our aspirations to deliver offshore wind.’
The report is at:www.bwea.com/pdf/OffshoreWindAtCrossroads.pdf

Keep Off

The National Trust for Scotland has objected to an application to erect 17 wind turbines on Knoweside Hill, 2.5 miles from Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. Culzean, along with its adjoining country park, is the trust’s most popular attraction, visited by more than 200,000 people a year. The trust believes the proposed £20m wind farm will spoil the view from the castle and put off visitors.

Big Wind

Europe’s largest onshore wind farm, on moorland south of Glasgow, has been given the go ahead by the Scottish Executive. Scottish Power said its £300m 322 MW Whitelee project should have 140 turbines in place by 2009