HC Deb 17 June 1998 vol 314 cc241-2W
Mr. Pickthall

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans she has to encourage off-shore wind power generation; [45984]

(2) what involvement her Department has in the exploratory work of Border Wind off the coast at Blyth in Northumberland; [45985]

(3) if she will assess the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Administration's report on the failures of the Danish wind power programme. [45986]

Mr. Battle

I am currently reviewing policy for new and renewable sources of energy, including potential for offshore wind. From work undertaken so far, it seems that the achievement of 10%of the UK's electricity from renewables by 2010 would almost certainly require bringing forward technologies in addition to those proposed to be supported under fifth Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO-05), including offshore wind energy, I plan to participate through our renewable energy programme in a European Union JOULE project to study the structural loading of a wind turbine off the coast of Blyth in Northumberland. We are aware of the Norwegian report to which my hon. Friend refers.