UK wind power doubled in 2002

525MW was awarded planning permission this year, equal to the total amount built during the previous 11 years put together, says the BWEA. Two offshore wind farms won planning consent and the Government has revealed plans for a further 4000MW of offshore wind.

“2002 will be remembered as the year that wind energy became the technology of choice,” said BWEA Chief Executive Nick Goodall. The UK market now has at least 235 companies supplying wind power technology, with the country generating 1.45TWh of green electricity from wind, equivalent to the annual needs of 350,000 households.

The government’s obligation to electricity suppliers is predicted to lead to a 20-fold increase in the country’s wind capacity by 2010, says the BWEA, which predicts over 300MW for construction in 2003 and a further 600MW in 2004, bringing the UK wind industry closer to its target of 3200MW by the end of 2006.