22 May 2008 - Green MEP for the South East Dr Caroline Lucas has today criticised the Government’s failure to adequately support the UK’s offshore wind energy sector, blaming a lack of political will and foresight in the renewables industry.

She called for the Government to consider community ownership and increased share options in projects such as the London Array, to improve Britain’s chances of meeting the EU target to produce 15% of the country’s total energy from renewables by 2020.

Reports that offshore wind projects are being exposed to extensive planning delays (1), combined with the news earlier this month that Royal Dutch Shell had pulled out of the London Array project off the Kent coast, have provided a damning portrayal of a UK renewables industry in crisis.

Dr. Lucas said: "Wind turbine manufacturing should be a national priority. The Government must take a direct role in investing in wind power and increasing offers of public shares, enabling community ownership to run alongside private investment from the big companies to rapidly increase production.

“We need to increase the number of turbines being produced, in order to reduce prices and ordering times, and to drive the crucial shift away from dependence upon finite fossil fuel energy. Linking communities to new windfarm projects through investment could enable a quicker approval process and greater public awareness of the importance of self-sufficient, small-scale energy production.

“In my South East constituency, for example, the recent opening of Westmill Wind Farm, which I am personally supporting, shows that community ownership can work in reality. Community-run local energy generation models are also emerging through the Transition Towns network.

"So while some individuals are taking matters into their own hands, the Government is lagging behind. It must now seriously consider policies to improve capacity; potentially it could take a stake in existing manufacturing projects to urgently boost capacity. The UK’s EU renewable energy target has already been cut from 20% to 15%, and action must be taken if we are to reach even this lower 15% EU target.

Dr Lucas continued: "In practice, offshore wind power could supply at least 25% of the UK’s total energy needs. Indeed, in theory, windfarms could power the country several times over (2), but a combination of a poorly supported fledgling industry and perpetual delays in planning permission has led to a situation in which the renewables market is fraught with difficulties for producers.

“Perhaps most significantly, windfarm projects struggle to be connected to the National Grid. The Crown Estate’s plan for a new High Voltage Direct Current transmission line running offshore from North East Scotland to London and then on to Holland would allow many wind farms to be connected more quickly and would improve grid resilience across Europe.”

She concluded: “There is significant potential for the UK to lead on renewable energy and at the current time we are failing to take advantage of this. Marine energy generation, for example, could really take off in UK waters, with a number of innovative small companies ready to step up to the challenge.

"The Greens are calling on the Prime Minister to show environmental leadership and introduce a programme of public investment to re-energise the offshore wind market and develop strong local and national frameworks for renewable energy production.

ENDS

Notes to Editors