§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of new wind turbines which will be installed by 2002. [83319]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 4 May 1999]: The number of new wind turbines likely to be installed in 2002 depends largely on the size of machines which generators choose to employ. For example, a growth in generation of 300 GWh would require about 220 machines if their average size was 0.6 MW or about 130 machines if their average size was 1 MW.
§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total subsidy provided by the Government to the wind generation industry to date. [83323]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 5 May 1999]: I expect the average premium price paid to fall as wind energy capacity contracted, under the Order which I made last September for the fifth Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation at an average price of 2.88 p/kWh, is commissioned. The charge to the Fossil Fuel Levy of providing premium prices for electricity from wind turbines was £200 million to February 1999.
§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the average costs per kilowatt hours of wind-generated energy. [83324]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 5 May 1999]: In England and Wales the average premium price of electricity generated in February 1999 by wind turbines contracted under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation arrangements was 5.2 p/kWh compared to the average price for generation from conventional sources of 3.0 p/kWh over the same period.
§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports he has received of instances of wind turbines having thrown broken blades to the ground.[83318]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 5 May 1999]: I have received no reports of instances of these machines' broken blades falling to the ground.
442W
§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new wind turbines will be required to meet the Government's targets on renewable energy. [83327]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 5 May 1999]: The number of new wind turbines required to contribute towards this target depends on the range and mix of renewable technologies employed, such as biomass, offshore wind, wave, landfill gas and energy from waste, and the contribution that each one makes.
§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the cost to date to public funds of failed applications to establish wind farms. [83321]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 5 May 1999]: There is no cost to public funds of failed applications to develop wind farms; the premium price is paid only when the wind turbines generate electricity.
§ Mr. PatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received opposing the establishment of new wind farms. [83322]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 5 May 1999)I have recently published "New and Renewable Energy: Prospects for the 21st Century" and have invited views on a wide range of issues concerning the greater deployment of a range of renewable sources of energy, including wind energy, by 28 May. The representations made so far have been positive, constructive and encouraging.