Earth Equity News

Queen Elizabeth Breezes in to Aid Wind Projects. By Terry Macalister, London Guardian, October 20, 2008. "The Queen has helped trigger a resurgence of interest in wind projects in the deep waters off Britain by promising to invest in projects at a time when onshore and other offshore schemes are struggling to meet their potential in the face of planning delays and other problems. The decision by the monarch's crown estate, to pay up to half of all pre-construction development costs, has brought a surge in applications for the latest round of wind licensing with almost 100 companies wanting to build farms far into the North Sea. 'The crown estate offering to be a development partner takes away much of the cost and uncertainty with third-round projects, which is why we have seen so much interest in the latest licensing round,' said Adam Bruce, chairman of the British Wind Energy Association [BWEA]... Meanwhile, the Carbon Trust... has reached agreement with five major energy companies under which £30 million will be invested to find ways to reduce the cost of offshore wind by at least 10%. The move comes just days after the Carbon Trust, an organisation established by government to help speed up the introduction of clean energy, unveiled a report showing that ministers would fail to meet their offshore wind goals unless a variety of measures were introduced." UK Wind Farm Plans on Brink of Failure. By John Vidal, London Guardian, October 18, 2008.