Govt 'does not know when wind energy will pay for itself' - 09/02/2011
It is not known how long it will take for wind power to pay for itself, energy comparison customers might be surprised to hear.
According to energy minister Charles Hendry, the time when the renewable energy can support itself without grants cannot be predicted, the Daily Mail reports.
Answering written parliamentary questions earlier this week, the minister said: "We expect that over time we will be able to reduce support for wind power and other renewable energy technologies as they become more economic, but it is not possible to put a specific timescale on this."
It will depend on the cost of installing wind turbines, the price of alternative power supplies and future wholesale cheap electricity costs, he noted.
Some £2.2 billion has been spent by the government on supporting the green energy source since 2002, Mr Hendry explained, but it is "not feasible" to estimate how much more money will be spent on it before wind power becomes economically viable.
Meanwhile, research shows Britain is leading the way in installing wind energy capacity.
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