Green power projects get the go-ahead

One of the UK's largest offshore wind farms has been given the go-ahead by the Government for a site near Walney Island off the Cumbrian coast near Barrow-in-Furness.

Morecambe Wind Ltd plans to build up to 130 turbines at its Duddon Sands site in the Irish Sea. At the same time ministers have approved a revised plan from Ormonde Energy for a 30-turbine offshore scheme, also near Walney Island.

Both projects will need to put in place a warning system to alert shipping to the presence of the wind farms.

Meanwhile, in a separate but related development, the Scottish Borders Council has approved plans by wind farm developer Novera for its 11-turbine, onshore Glenkerle wind farm, three miles from Tweedsmuir.

News of these moves came as the Scottish Government revealed that it is on target to exceed its ambition of generating some 31 per cent of its electricity from green energy by 2011.

Energy minister Jim Mather said "if we add up all the potential energy from consented renewable projects to those already operating we will comfortably exceed our target".

Last week the administration confirmed that its upcoming legislative programme would include a Climate Change Bill which would commit Scotland to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

Read the BERR news release.

Roger Milne

11 September 2008