HC Deb 26 January 1989 vol 145 cc695-6W
Mr. Wallace

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what measures he intends to take in 1989 to promote the use of wind energy.

Mr. Michael Spicer

It is our intention that the electricity privatisation legislation currently before the House will place an obligation on the electricity supply companies to contract for a specified minimum amount of non-fossil-fuelled generating capacity and this will help to encourage the full exploitation of wind energy.

In addition, we will continue our substantial programme of research into wind energy which encompasses work on all the important technical questions and includes the construction and testing of a number of large wind turbines. During 1989 it is expected that construction of the 1 MW wind turbine at Richborough will be completed and that wind measurements will commence on the site of the first of three proposed experimental wind farms to be built by ourselves and the CEGB in collaboration.