BWEA - "Wind Powers Ahead"

As several thousand delegates gather in London today for Europe’s largest ever wind power conference, the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) releases new figures showing that 2004 is a record year for the rapidly expanding UK wind industry and predicting that expansion out to 2010 should result in some £7 billion of new investment into the sector. BWEA data shows that:

• This year 10 new wind projects have been commissioned totaling 240 megawatts (MW) of new capacity, with 2 more to be commissioned by the end of the year – representing almost 3 times last years build
• There are currently 18 wind projects under construction totaling over 600 MW. This new capacity is all scheduled to be commissioned in 200
• This year 33 new wind projects were approved through the planning system, totalling some 800 MW of new capacity. This represents an 83% approval rate for projects determined this year
• There are presently 94 onshore projects in planning, representing some 4,767 MW of capacity equal to some 5% of the nation’s electricity needs.

Looking out to 2010, BWEA released new findings following a survey of 6 major companies at the centre of the development of wind power. The survey shows that:

• By 2010 it is predicted that there will be some 7,500MW of wind power installed in the UK. Half of that is predicted to be onshore and half is predicted to be offshore
• This represents some 7.5% of the nation’s electricity needs, approximately three-quarters of the Government’s 2010 renewable energy target
• It also represents an investment of £7 billion over the next six years.

Marcus Rand, BWEA Chief Executive said;
“These are exciting times for the wind industry. At long last we are developing a healthy and vibrant market here in the UK, the windiest nation in Europe. This year has been a record breaking one for the industry and the indications are that next year will be even bigger”