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http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/renewable-energy-news/by-technology/wind/dramatic-shift-towards-offshore-wind-needed-in-uk.html

There is still a dramatic uptake needed in the amount of offshore wind being deployed in UK waters if government targets are to be met, a policy maker has stressed.

Speaking at the All Energy conference in Scotland today, Duarte Figueira, head of ORED’s offshore renewables at the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said the government was committed to increasing investments into the offshore renewable energy sector. Despite the sharp rise in offshore wind power in the UK, more needs to be done, he said.
‘We still need a dramatic expansion of offshore win. Both UK and European targets will not be met without it,’ Figueira said.
The 5GW mark for onshore and offshore wind has now been passed and the announcement by Chris Huhne yesterday that the UK would aim to reduce emissions by 80 per cent on 1990 levels by 2025 now underpins the future of renewables. ‘This has a major impact on renewables.
‘The answer is to have a diverse energy mix and reduce energy demand where possible,’ he added.
Figueira said the UK government intends to make sure the country remains as the top location for offshore wind capacity. Encouraging these developments, he said, are the Green Investment Bank – which will launch with an opening balance of £3bn – and the soon-to-be-set DECC Renewabe Energy Roadmap.