§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with north east industrialists involved in the manufacturing and supply of components for off-shore wind energy turbines; and if he will make a statement. [73174]
§ Mr. BattleLast year I addressed two conferences held by the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), many of whose members are based in the North East of England. At the Cardiff conference I launched a consultation exercise on the most suitable arrangements for incorporating the development of offshore wind energy into the NFFO process. I have also visited several wind projects including that of Border Wind at Blyth Harbour which will be one of the first UK offshore wind installations.
Through the New and Renewable Energy (NRE) programme, my Department has also held seminars aimed at encouraging engineering companies to invest in the manufacturing and supply of components for wind farm sites. One such event was held in September 1997 in Durham where firms from the region were given a detailed outline of the technology, the market and the opportunities open to engineering industry. The programme has supported 10 projects to develop wind turbine components to date. These projects are worth a total value of £2.4 million. In addition, the programme has supported a number of companies visits to wind turbine manufacturers in Europe as part of this initiative.