Further written evidence reported to the House
Energy Bill
10:40 am
Maria McCaffery: The BWEA represents the wind, wave and tidal industry in the UK, but is exclusively concerned with electrical power generation. So I cannot speak for heat and transport fuels, where we work closely with the REA. At present, 4.5 per cent. of all our electricity comes from renewable sources. Of that, a third is wind—and that is predominantly onshore wind—and the balance of 3 per cent. comes mainly from hydropower, with a little from biomass. At present we have another 7,500 MW, which is equivalent to about 5.5 per cent. of electricity, stuck in the planning system for onshore wind alone. If two thirds of that could be consented to in the short term, we would comfortably achieve the 2010 target of 10 per cent. of electricity from totally renewable sources.
As far as the greater proportion is concerned, I am trying to concentrate on the time scales that you outlined. The greatest contribution is going to come from offshore wind and we will see exponential growth from around 2012 to 2020, with the bulk of it coming post-2015 as more manufacturers—we are confidently expecting more—come into the turbine-supply market.