We need 12,500 new turbines, says wind firm
More wind turbines may need to be built off the Lincolnshire coast if the UK is to meet tough targets on renewable energy.
Experts have claimed there is little chance of Britain meeting its goal of getting 15 per cent of all its energy from green sources by 2020.
To do so, it is thought up to 12,500 new off-shore wind turbines will be needed over the next decade.
Energy giant Centrica is currently building two large wind farms about three miles off the coast of Skegness.
These 27-turbine developments, known as Lynn and Inner Dowsing, will produce 180 megawatts of electricity between them — enough to power 130,000 homes.
But even with another three giant off-shore wind farms in the pipeline for the Lincolnshire coast, the 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of electricity they could generate would be a drop in the ocean of the 33GW needed to meet the 2020 targets.
According to industry figures, an extra £66bn of investment is needed in off-shore wind to achieve that.
Centrica, which is due to fit the turbines on the Lynn and Inner Dowsing developments this month, has called for the Government to offer more incentives to energy companies to develop green energy.
18 March 2008
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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