Archived press release

World's largest offshore wind farm opens off Kent

23 September 2010

As the world's largest offshore wind farm - Thanet Offshore Wind Farm in Kent - is opened by Energy Secretary Chris Huhne today (Thursday 23 September), Friends of the Earth is reiterating its call on the Government to urgently invest in renewable sources of energy.

Friends of the Earth's Campaigns and Policy Director Craig Bennett said:
 
"The Thanet Offshore Wind Farm is an important stride forward in securing our energy supplies and protecting us from the worst effects of climate change.

"Despite years of Government promises the UK's record on renewable energy is still dismal - we urgently need to invest in green energy projects and to develop a sense of community-ownership in them.

 "Now is the time to be increasing renewable energy - nothing would do more damage to investor confidence than for the Government to raise doubts about long-term support for the industry.

"Investing in renewable energy will boost our economy by creating new green industries and jobs - the Government must ensure adequate funding and make the UK a world leader in tackling climate change."

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Friends of the Earth is urging the Government to:

• guarantee funding of at least £2 billion a year for the Green Investment Bank;
• remove blockages to developing offshore wind, for example by upgrading ports to handle shipping out offshore wind turbine parts, as pledged by last Government;
• Keep the feed-in tariff scheme intact and introduce the Renewable Heat Incentive in April 2011 as promised;
• ensure emissions from power stations are capped with an Emissions Performance Standard in the forthcoming Energy Bill;
• introduce local carbon budgets for every council area to help them cut carbon emissions;
• guarantee there is no public subsidy for new nuclear power stations;
• ensure no more polluting incinerators are built;
• end further high risk deep sea drilling for North Sea oil.

2. A report published by a consortium including DECC and some of the bigger energy companies earlier this year found that the full wind, wave and tidal resource potential of the UK is six times larger than current electricity demand and that harnessing just 29 per cent of this could create 145,000 jobs between now and 2050.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust