Main navigation

Daily news

More wind turbines planned for UK

26 January 2008

It is thought that up to 10,000 wind turbines will be set up in the UK by 2020 as efforts to meet the new EU renewable energy targets get underway.

According to the Scotsman, some 5,200 wind turbines will be built as part of an onshore windfarm initiative, while a further 4,000 wind turbines will be set up at sea.

The turbines will add to the current 1,800 on-land wind turbines in the UK, which produce around 1.9 gigawatts of electricity.

According to Maria McCaffery, chief executive of the British Wind Energy Association, the suggestion of more windfarms in the UK could be a "revolution" for the nation's energy supply.

"Wind energy is the next North Sea oil," she said.

"Britain could be a world leader in renewable energy if we have the will to make this vision a reality."

It is expected that Scotland will make a significant contribution to wind energy development in the UK, particularly as recent research has shown that the country could have the potential to generate up to 60 gigawatts of electricity through windfarms.

Find out how the Energy Saving Trust can help you.