Improving the way in which offshore wind farms are developed could save a large amount of money, which may be passed on to consumers in the form of cheap electricity bills.
A study by Ofgem and the Department of Energy and Climate Change estimated that by 2020, wind farm capacity around the UK's coasts could rise from its current level of 1.6GW to as much as 18GW.
Future builds will be larger and further out to sea than current installations, which is likely to lead to higher infrastructure costs.
The study predicted by interlinking these developments instead of each company developing their own solutions, construction and operating costs could be substantially lowered, potentially saving as much as £3.5 billion.
Energy minister Charles Hendry said: "There are a number of ways we can reduce the cost of offshore wind and this is definitely one of the most exciting."
Ofgem added such a scheme will save customers money and provide a stable industry from renewable energy.
Last month, SSE opened its new Walney offshore wind farm in Cumbria, which the energy supplier claims is the world's largest development and contains 102 turbines.
Switching to a green energy tariff can slash your CO2 footprint by two tonnes and also save you £100s a year! Click here to compare green energy tariffs.
Share this story with your friends:-
Save up to £300 on your gas & electricity bills at energyhelpline.com
Compare prices from all energy suppliers to find your best deal