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| Wind 'could power all UK homes' | Wind 'could power all UK homes' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| All UK homes could be powered by offshore wind farms by 2020 as part of the fight against climate change, under plans unveiled by John Hutton. | All UK homes could be powered by offshore wind farms by 2020 as part of the fight against climate change, under plans unveiled by John Hutton. |
| Up to 7,000 turbines could be installed to boost wind produced energy 60-fold by 2020. | |
| The business secretary admitted it would change Britain's coastline, and mean higher electricity bills. | The business secretary admitted it would change Britain's coastline, and mean higher electricity bills. |
| Senior Tory Alan Duncan backed the plans, adding: "We're an island nation. There's a lot of wind around." | Senior Tory Alan Duncan backed the plans, adding: "We're an island nation. There's a lot of wind around." |
| Mr Hutton said there would have to be a switch to low-carbon energy production to combat the threat of climate change. | Mr Hutton said there would have to be a switch to low-carbon energy production to combat the threat of climate change. |
| Coastline 'will change' | Coastline 'will change' |
| "But if we could manage to achieve this, by 2020 enough electricity could be generated off our shores to power the equivalent of all of the UK's homes," he told a European energy industry conference in Berlin. | "But if we could manage to achieve this, by 2020 enough electricity could be generated off our shores to power the equivalent of all of the UK's homes," he told a European energy industry conference in Berlin. |
| We do know that if wind farms are put in silly places they can kill lots of birds, they scare off whales and dolphins and fish Mark AveryRSPB Wind turbines in graphicsAnalysis: Wind power plan | We do know that if wind farms are put in silly places they can kill lots of birds, they scare off whales and dolphins and fish Mark AveryRSPB Wind turbines in graphicsAnalysis: Wind power plan |
| "This could be a major contribution towards meeting the EU's target of 20% energy from renewable sources by 2020. | "This could be a major contribution towards meeting the EU's target of 20% energy from renewable sources by 2020. |
| "The challenge for the government and for industry is to turn this potential - for our energy and economy - into a cost-effective reality. | "The challenge for the government and for industry is to turn this potential - for our energy and economy - into a cost-effective reality. |
| "Next year we will overtake Denmark as the country with the most offshore wind capacity." | "Next year we will overtake Denmark as the country with the most offshore wind capacity." |
| Just 2% of Britain's power comes from renewable sources, and wind is the source for around 2.2 gigawatts. | Just 2% of Britain's power comes from renewable sources, and wind is the source for around 2.2 gigawatts. |
| Calm days? | Calm days? |
| The government hopes that it could provide around 33 gigawatts by 2020, which would mean introducing some 7,000 turbines. | The government hopes that it could provide around 33 gigawatts by 2020, which would mean introducing some 7,000 turbines. |
| Mr Hutton conceded that having a wind installation every half-mile around the coast was "going to change our coastline". | Mr Hutton conceded that having a wind installation every half-mile around the coast was "going to change our coastline". |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Wind farms? Excellent idea - now just get on with it and stop faffing about Nick Smith, Huddersfield Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Wind farms? Excellent idea - now just get on with it and stop faffing about Nick Smith, Huddersfield Send us your comments |
| "There is no way of making the shift to low-carbon technology without making a change and that change being visible to people," he said. | "There is no way of making the shift to low-carbon technology without making a change and that change being visible to people," he said. |
| "We've got a choice as a country whether we rise to the challenge... or stick our head in the sand and hope it (climate change) goes away. It is not going to go away." | "We've got a choice as a country whether we rise to the challenge... or stick our head in the sand and hope it (climate change) goes away. It is not going to go away." |
| Asked what would happen if there was no wind for a few days, Mr Hutton said that was why there had to be a mix of energy sources - including nuclear power - to cover for calmer weather periods. | Asked what would happen if there was no wind for a few days, Mr Hutton said that was why there had to be a mix of energy sources - including nuclear power - to cover for calmer weather periods. |
| 'Aspirational targets' | 'Aspirational targets' |
| He also said he wanted the UK to be self-sufficient in energy: "I do not want in 20 years' time to find that whether the lights go on in the morning is down to some foreign government." | He also said he wanted the UK to be self-sufficient in energy: "I do not want in 20 years' time to find that whether the lights go on in the morning is down to some foreign government." |
| The first tranche of offshore wind farms began in 2001, followed by a second wave two years later in the Thames Estuary, the Greater Wash and the North West. | The first tranche of offshore wind farms began in 2001, followed by a second wave two years later in the Thames Estuary, the Greater Wash and the North West. |
| The engineering effort to build 7,000 large offshore turbines by 2020 would be enormous, unprecedented and is probably underestimated Sue IonRoyal Academy of Engineering Q&A: Offshore wind farms | The engineering effort to build 7,000 large offshore turbines by 2020 would be enormous, unprecedented and is probably underestimated Sue IonRoyal Academy of Engineering Q&A: Offshore wind farms |
| Some eight gigawatts of capacity could be up and running by 2014, including the one gigawatt London Array, the biggest offshore wind farm in the world. | Some eight gigawatts of capacity could be up and running by 2014, including the one gigawatt London Array, the biggest offshore wind farm in the world. |
| In Berlin, Mr Hutton said the next stage in the expansion of offshore wind power would open up the vast bulk of the UK's continental shelf to large scale development. | In Berlin, Mr Hutton said the next stage in the expansion of offshore wind power would open up the vast bulk of the UK's continental shelf to large scale development. |
| However, the Royal Academy of Engineering said it was so concerned about the UK's ability "to meet these aspirational targets" it was starting a new study on the engineering challenges of offshore wind projects to report next year. | However, the Royal Academy of Engineering said it was so concerned about the UK's ability "to meet these aspirational targets" it was starting a new study on the engineering challenges of offshore wind projects to report next year. |
| Wind 'can't do it all' | Wind 'can't do it all' |
| "We applaud any initiative to boost the contribution of renewable energy sources within a balanced energy portfolio," said Sue Ion, vice president of the academy. | "We applaud any initiative to boost the contribution of renewable energy sources within a balanced energy portfolio," said Sue Ion, vice president of the academy. |
| "However, wind power cannot provide all our electricity - the engineering effort to build 7,000 large offshore turbines by 2020 would be enormous, unprecedented and is probably underestimated." | "However, wind power cannot provide all our electricity - the engineering effort to build 7,000 large offshore turbines by 2020 would be enormous, unprecedented and is probably underestimated." |
| And Mark Avery, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: "We do know that if wind farms are put in silly places they can kill lots of birds, they scare off whales and dolphins and fish." | And Mark Avery, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: "We do know that if wind farms are put in silly places they can kill lots of birds, they scare off whales and dolphins and fish." |
| Shadow business secretary Mr Duncan said the UK should use its offshore capacity for generating electricity "that's clean and secure". | Shadow business secretary Mr Duncan said the UK should use its offshore capacity for generating electricity "that's clean and secure". |
| "So yes, I think it's inevitable and a good thing that there will be more offshore wind." | "So yes, I think it's inevitable and a good thing that there will be more offshore wind." |
| 'Enormous' potential | 'Enormous' potential |
| Chris Huhne, the Lib Dems' environment spokesman, said: "This is a welcomed change in tone from the government, but ministers need to pay households to install micro-generators and also invest in big schemes like the Severn Barrage which alone could generate 5% of our electricity needs." | Chris Huhne, the Lib Dems' environment spokesman, said: "This is a welcomed change in tone from the government, but ministers need to pay households to install micro-generators and also invest in big schemes like the Severn Barrage which alone could generate 5% of our electricity needs." |
| Friends of the Earth renewable energy campaigner Nick Rau said the potential for wind power was "enormous". | Friends of the Earth renewable energy campaigner Nick Rau said the potential for wind power was "enormous". |
| Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said the plans amounted to a "wind energy revolution" but stressed that premium prices needed to be guaranteed for clean electricity. | Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said the plans amounted to a "wind energy revolution" but stressed that premium prices needed to be guaranteed for clean electricity. |
| Carbon trust chief executive Michael Rea said the plans would "require substantial investment before it can be realised at this scale". | Carbon trust chief executive Michael Rea said the plans would "require substantial investment before it can be realised at this scale". |
| Maria McCaffery, chief executive of the British Wind Energy Association, said: "All we're really talking about is harnessing our tremendous natural resource." | Maria McCaffery, chief executive of the British Wind Energy Association, said: "All we're really talking about is harnessing our tremendous natural resource." |