Lifting limits on the siting of offshore wind farms could cut the cost of developing offshore wind power by £16 billion, according to the Carbon Trust.
Currently offshore wind farms must be built at least 70 miles from shore but relaxing constraints would reduce the costs of setting up the projects by 20 per cent, the trust has claimed.
In a report entitled Offshore wind: big challenge, big opportunity, the trust advocates removing grid and planning barriers, increasing research and development funding and revising incentive schemes.
The net effect of following its suggestions would cut the cost of offshore wind developments by 40 per cent – totalling £30 billion.
According to Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust steps must be taken to boost investment in the industry in order to meet the EU target of generating 15 per cent of electricity from renewable sources.
"If we are to meet our 2020 renewable targets we need a dash for wind on a comparable scale to the dash for gas of the 1990s. Slashing the costs of offshore wind must now be a priority for UK energy policy," he said.
According to E.ON, onshore wind power, which does not have the high installation costs associated with working under water, is the most cost efficient renewable technology.
