Wind Power Myths Dismissed by New Report
04 April 2006
"Offshore wind: At a Crossroads" shows that without additional governmentsupport, the roll out of the UK's major offshore wind programme risks being stalled, at a cost of some 75 per cent of possible offshore wind capacityover the next ten years. (1)
Tom Tibbits, Green Party Energy Spokesperson commented: "The latest reportdemonstrates the technical viability of offshore wind, maximising our use of mature UK offshore engineering skills from the declining oil sector, butleaves questions to be answered about the financing of offshore grid connections. The Government must clearlydemonstrate how this additional financial burden will not hinder the development of UK energy security and resistance to gas price shocks through wind power development.
"The Greens want to see an extension of the Renewables Obligation to 25% by 2020, making renewables more attractive as investments, and clear support must be given to funding mechanisms for the grid connections. Most otherpower generators never had to pay for the grid connection as it already existed before privatisation, and National Grid Transco would do well to proactively provide transmission services to offshore windfarms.
"Whilst the nuclear industry is used to receiving enormous government loans and subsidies, the fledgling wind industry does not receive handouts. The onshore wind industry has shown itself to be profitable and is expandingrapidly, but to secure more power with less visual intrusion, offshore wind must be made a reality. Windpower will abate carbon emissions more cheaply than nuclear plants, and have sharply reduced decommissioning costs incomparison to atomic energy."
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
(1) "Offshore wind: At a Crossroads" is available at:www.bwea.com
