Restrictions eased on wind farm construction in the UK

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced today that it would allow 25GW of offshore wind generation capacity, about 33%of the UK's total capacity,to be built in England and Wales.

The DECC also overturned plans for a 12-mile “buffer zone” around the UK's shores, meaning wind farms will be cheaper and easier to construct.

Lord Hunt, the energy minister, told delegates at the British Wind Energy Association conference “We're already the world's number one offshore wind power. With the right support, we can grow the industry even further, supporting tens of thousands of high-value, green manufacturing jobs. This presents a huge opportunity for the UK industry.”
The government has pledged to generate 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020....This year will see a ramping up of our business development activities, to support our offshore wind ambitions. We’re fully committed to developing this sector to increase capacity and reduce costs going forward."

Europes largest wind farm starts turning

Europe’s largest onshore wind farm is being opened today in Scotland.The £300million Whitelee development in East Renfrewshire already contains 140 huge turbines, each around 110m high, across an area about the size of Glasgow city centre. Developer Scottish Power Renewables estimates that the farm will generate enough energy to power 180,000 homes.

Plans have already been lodged to expand the wind farm, and Scottish Power Renewables say they aim to build an offshore wind farm off the West Coast of Scotland which would be five or six times the size of the 55km square Eaglesham Moor site.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who opened the plant, said "Whitelee in its current form is already flying the flag for onshore wind power in Europe...The planned extension, which I am delighted to announce today, will enable the wind farm to harness its comparative and competitive advantage in wind generated energy within Europe...It has the infrastructure, the expertise and the capacity to continue to develop in the future."

Worlds largest offshore wind farm gets green light

Plans to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm will go ahead, the developers announced today. Comprising of about 90 square miles, the £2 billion farm will be built 12 miles off the coasts of Kent and Essex to the east of London in the Thames Estuary and will involve 341 turbines.

Enery company E.ON said the first phase of the London Array project will start later this year and it could be generating power in time for the 2012 Olympics.

E.ON chief executive Dr Wulf Bernotat said: 'I'm delighted that work can now get under way on the world's largest offshore wind farm...The start of London Array will mark a key milestone in our road map as we continue with our ambitious strategy to take renewables to an industrial level...With this pioneering scheme, we see a significant increase in scale for offshore wind and also for E.ON as we aim to become the world's largest offshore wind farm developer."

Wind Farms Stalled By Planning

The Guardian reports that more than 200 proposed wind farms are still awaiting planning approval, despite the government's promise to fast-track such schemes.

At least 222 wind farms are awaiting the green light, with many delayed by up to five years, in spite of Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling for major infrastructure projects to be speeded up in the planning system.

The development of E.ON's Humber Gateway project is one of the schemes facing ever-increasing delays. "When built, this wind farm will be one of the biggest in the UK and will play a vital role in the fight against climate change," said E.ON's project manager, Chris Sherrington. But the planning authorities are stuck, debating the effects on shipping routes despite the site having being chosen specifically to avoid interference with shipping and having full support from ABP, which owns Humber ports.

Britain is already struggling to meet the EU target of producing 20 per cent of its energy from renewable energy sources by 2020. However, the UK is struggling to hit even the reduced target of 15 per cent, with the current level standing at just two per cent.

Back in November 2007, Brown said: 'The government will do more to remove the planning and other obstacles that are currently holding renewables back.'