There are many benefits that come with developing a windfarm, including generating clean, safe energy; reducing CO2 emissions; and helping secure our country's energy supply for the future.

Environmental benefits

Renewable energy sources are those such as sunlight, wind, waves and tides, which are continuously replenished. Of these renewables, wind power is currently the most economical and technically advanced and is an energy resource that has been harnessed for at least 2000 years.

It offers global benefits in terms of electricity generation in that it is free from emissions of carbon dioxide (the main 'greenhouse' gas associated with global climate change) and other pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide or oxides of nitrogen, which can lead to acid rain.

Wind energy provides us with a clean, safe, sustainable energy source enabling us to reduce these damaging emissions and protect our environment.

Economic benefits

The construction of offshore windfarms in UK waters has the potential to bring a great range of economic benefits to the country as a whole. 

The growth of the offshore wind sector will provide diversity and security in UK energy supplies.  It is expected that supply of gas to the UK from Europe will steadily decrease over the next decade, leaving us increasingly reliant on gas imports from Russia, Algeria and the Middle East.  Coal and nuclear generation also rely on imported fuel.  While demand for conventional power increases in other parts of the world (e.g. East Asia), supplies of finite conventional fuel may be more volatile (source: The Carbon Trust).  Increasing electricity generation from wind makes the UK more self reliant in energy.

In addition, electricity generation from wind can provide price stability.  The price of energy from wind power is stable because the main cost in producing it comes from construction, while the fuel itself (the wind) is free.  Offshore wind is not subject to the same fuel price fluctuations as gas, coal or uranium.  Also, the wind tends to produce the most power in winter, when demand for heating and electricity is highest.  By replacing demand for fossil fuels at this time, wind can lower the price of gas (source: The Carbon Trust). 

Offshore wind could also create a significant number of skilled jobs in the UK.  The Carbon Trust has estimated that anywhere from 40,000 to 70,000 jobs could be created by 2020.  Staff will be required in manufacturing and installation, operations and maintenance, research and development, and engineering and design.  Given the UK’s existing specialities, ports and secondary services (e.g. financial and legal) are also sectors with particular opportunities for growth.