Lack of ships may hinder UK wind power targets: EON

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63F48G20100416

Lack of ships may hinder UK wind power targets: EON

Kwok W. Wan
WORKINGTON, England
Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:26pm EDT

WORKINGTON, England (Reuters) - Lack of investment in the vessels used to build offshore wind farms could hinder Britain's ambitions to shift to renewable energy, the head of E.ON UK's Robin Rigg wind project told Reuters at the operations center in Workington, northwest England.

Britain aims to install 32 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2020, enough to meet a quarter of the country's electricity needs, and although there has been investment in turbines factories and ports, a lack of vessels could curtail targets.

"The targets are very ambitious and the supply chain isn't there for it to materialize. It definitely has to grow," Ian Johnson, Robin Rigg offshore wind farm project manager said. "Aside from turbines, vessels to install equipment are expensive," said Johnson adding that a lack of predictability over upcoming wind farm projects in the past had caused a squeeze on construction vessels as builders rush to use the small stock already built.

Vessel builders in the past have asked: "When's the next project going to come along? Where's the continuity for me in the supply chain?"

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