- I think we should consider colours other than white for our clean energy producing turbines, purple, yellow and red perhaps - 
The government is proposing to build up to 32,000 new wind turbines with many thousands more transmission pylons as it struggles to meet green targets.
A report by Chris Huhne’s Department of Energy and Climate Change says the huge expansion is essential if Britain is to meet its obligations to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
At present, there are about 3,000 onshore wind turbines with a few hundred offshore. They have helped cut carbon emissions but generate only 1-2% of the nation’s power.
The energy secretary wants to convert all Britain’s vehicles and homes to run on electricity by 2050. This means Britain must sharply increase electricity production, perhaps even doubling it, with almost all of it coming from low-carbon sources including wind and nuclear power.
The construction programme would transform Britain’s wildest landscapes, with an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 new turbines needed onshore and up to 25,000 offshore, many visible from land.
Wind turbines, along with nuclear power, are regarded as the most economically viable green energy source unless there are dramatic technological improvements in solar and wave power.
According to RenewableUK, the wind industry’s lobbying organisation, 43 new wind parks are under construction with 1,251 turbines. Councils have approved a further 2,115 turbines at 245 wind farms.
Huhne’s carbon plan proposes that in 20 years renewable energy, mainly wind, should have been expanded tenfold from 5 gigawatts to 50GW.
By 2050 renewable power generation may have to rise to 80GW, roughly equal to Britain’s entire current generating capacity.
Huhne said yesterday: “The carbon plan is a road map for a new industrial revolution in which low-carbon electricity powers the economy and protects us from reliance on imports from volatile parts of the world.”
The plan envisages a big role for new nuclear plants. One a year should be built from 2019.
There are now about 22,000 pylons, but Huhne’s plan means that thousands more will be needed.
A report by Chris Huhne’s Department of Energy and Climate Change says the huge expansion is essential if Britain is to meet its obligations to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
At present, there are about 3,000 onshore wind turbines with a few hundred offshore. They have helped cut carbon emissions but generate only 1-2% of the nation’s power.
The energy secretary wants to convert all Britain’s vehicles and homes to run on electricity by 2050. This means Britain must sharply increase electricity production, perhaps even doubling it, with almost all of it coming from low-carbon sources including wind and nuclear power.
The construction programme would transform Britain’s wildest landscapes, with an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 new turbines needed onshore and up to 25,000 offshore, many visible from land.
Wind turbines, along with nuclear power, are regarded as the most economically viable green energy source unless there are dramatic technological improvements in solar and wave power.
According to RenewableUK, the wind industry’s lobbying organisation, 43 new wind parks are under construction with 1,251 turbines. Councils have approved a further 2,115 turbines at 245 wind farms.
Huhne’s carbon plan proposes that in 20 years renewable energy, mainly wind, should have been expanded tenfold from 5 gigawatts to 50GW.
By 2050 renewable power generation may have to rise to 80GW, roughly equal to Britain’s entire current generating capacity.
Huhne said yesterday: “The carbon plan is a road map for a new industrial revolution in which low-carbon electricity powers the economy and protects us from reliance on imports from volatile parts of the world.”
The plan envisages a big role for new nuclear plants. One a year should be built from 2019.
There are now about 22,000 pylons, but Huhne’s plan means that thousands more will be needed.
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