§ 12. Mr. Tony Spellerasked the Secretary of State for Energy what potential there is for the development of wind power as a renewable source of energy.
§ Mr. MellorThe potential of wind energy is high. My Department is funding further research and development, including the construction of a large wind generator on Orkney.
§ Mr. SpellerI thank my hon. Friend for that reply. If he revisits North Devon, may I suggest that he and his officers visit the Isle of Lundy, where, in the past month, an aerogenerator has been installed which creates enough power for the entire local load, with surplus capacity for the future? Does he agree that we should be planning both offshore and onshore aerogenerators in places where the wind blows regularly?
§ Mr. MellorI am familiar with the 55kW aerogenerator on Lundy. I hope that it will be a success and that as a result of experiments throughout the country we shall be able to embark on a wider scale exploitation of wind power.