Energy Minister, Malcolm Smith, has given the green light to the largest wind farm in Devon.
Speaking to the British Wind Energy Association in Glasgow, he said that he is giving Devon Wind Power the go-ahead for their 66MW Fullabrook Down wind project in north Devon. The decision follows a four-week public inquiry into the development in December 2006 and January 2007.
When fully operational the 22 turbine scheme will generate enough clean electricity to meet the average annual needs of 30,000 domestic consumers – equivalent to over 80 per cent of domestic electricity consumption or some 30 per cent of total energy electricity consumption in North Devon. It will also save almost 65,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
Smith also set out what additional action is being taken in order to deliver even more capacity, including proposals to:
· `band` the Renewables Obligation to give increased support to developing technologies such as offshore wind and solar;
· amending the climate change policy planning statement so that it is more heavily weighed in favour of renewables applications;
· a transmission access review that will streamline grid connections;
· and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
working with Ofgem to establish an offshore transmission regime that
will connect up a raft of new, large-scale offshore wind projects to
the mainland.