NaREC: 5,000 turbines needed to meet UK targets

In order to meet the UK's renewable energy targets, some 5,000 extra wind turbines will be necessary, it has been estimated.

The New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) aims to make the north-east the site of a new offshore wind energy development project, New Energy Focus reports.

NaREC hopes to contribute to the government's drive to install 3,000 more wind turbines by 2020 in order to meet the targets set out by the European Union.

However, it states that these goals will not be met without even more turbines than the number projected by the government.

Dr Keith Melton, director of technology and innovation at NaREC, said: " The pace and efficiency of installation that will be required to meet 2020 targets means that the industry afford to wait for turbines to prove themselves in service.

"The technology must be faultless before we begin installing 5,000 turbines off our coasts."

The government released its revised Renewable Energy Strategy recently, which outlined outlined that local renewables targets will be instigated.