Offshore wind power on course to meet 10 percent of UK electricity

The coalition government has partly prioritised more expensive offshore wind power over cheaper onshore wind energy in its calculations because of huge opposition to the latter from backbench Conservatives and some local communities.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change said that CfDs provided the most efficient long-term support for low-carbon generation – including nuclear, renewables and carbon capture and storage. “They give greater certainty and stability of revenues by removing exposure to volatile wholesale prices, and protect consumers from paying for support when electricity prices are high.”

“This consequently makes the development of low carbon generation cheaper for both investors and consumers, and it is suitable for all forms of low carbon generation”.

Michael Fallon, the energy minister who also received the Which? letter, said at the opening of RenewableUK’s Global Offshore Wind conference in Glasgow on Wednesday: “Offshore wind isn’t just an energy sector, it’s a growth sector – and it’s vital that as the offshore wind sector grows, it strengthens its contribution to economic growth and creating jobs in the UK – more than 6,000 people are directly employed in the industry, with a similar number of indirect jobs in the supply chain.”