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BWEA Press Release

Thursday 3rd April 2008

Wind industry welcomes Marine Bill but calls for sustainable development of sea

New offshore planning framework must have 'sustainable development at its heart'

BWEA, UK's leading wind, wave and tidal energy trade association, welcomed today's launch of the Draft Marine Bill. BWEA supports the Bill's aim to create a new planning framework for the offshore environment.

The wind industry is calling on the Government to ensure that the Draft Marine Bill balances conservation concerns with sustainable economic needs, such as renewable energy.

Maria McCaffery, BWEA Chief Executive, says: "We welcome the Bill, which will provide much needed stability and clarity for the marine environment. However, the sea isn't just an environmental asset, it has to be sustainable economic one as well."

The Bill will create Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) for offshore habitats and wildlife, with a new government agency, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) setting planning policy.

BWEA supports the creation of MCZs, but believes the location and management of MCZs should be decided by the Marine Management Organisation, with input from all stakeholders, including nature conservation agencies and other sea users, such as renewable energy developers.

BWEA is seeking a clear commitment to sustainable development in the MMO's remit, which will ensure that offshore planning policy will allow for the siting of the 5,000-6,000 wind turbines needed to meet the UK's renewable energy targets and tackle climate change.

McCaffery added: "Britain's potential to develop offshore wind resources and reach the Government's renewable energy targets, must be place at the heart of the Draft Marine Bill. The Marine Bill should promote sustainable development and that includes economic activity, such as offshore renewables."

Notes to editors:

1. BWEA is the UK's leading wind, wave and tidal energy trade association. Founded in 1978 it has over 370 corporate members from across the sector.
2. The Draft Marine Bill creates a one stop shop for regulating the marine environment, bringing together a host of interests. Current management of sea resources is governed by various pieces of legislation, which this Bill aims to co-ordinate, making it the world's first dedicated Marine Bill.
3. The wind industry welcomes the Bill, however it is seeking to ensure that:
   • There is a clear and unambiguous commitment to sustainable development and tackling climate change in the remit of the MMO.
   • The new planning framework, or Marine Policy Statement, produced by the MMO will conform with the Government's other planning priorities such as the National Policy Statement for Renewables, which sets out guidance for achieving the UK's new target of sourcing 15% of our energy from renewables by 2020.
   • There is a single consents regime for all offshore planning applications, from wave & tidal energy to large scale wind farms and that any consenting authority has the necessary resourcing and energy expertise to take decisions
4. The Scoping Document report launched by John Hutton in December 2007 identified a potential to develop up to 33 GW of offshore wind, or 5000 – 6000 wind turbines.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Charles Anglin, BWEA Director of Communications, on 0207 689 1966/0797 348 1907 or charles@bwea.com