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Investment of £1 billion in wind power development will lead to more than 1 GW of wind power station construction in Britain over the next two years, reports the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA). By the end of 2005, the country's installed wind generation will be 1690 MW, supplying about 4.49 TWh of electricity to meet 1.3% of consumer supply, or the needs of just under one million average UK households, says BWEA. Total UK wind capacity today stands at 650 MW.

"At long last we have now entered the phase of delivery," says the BWEA's Marcus Rand. "Two-thousand-and-three was the year of consents, two-thousand-and-four will be the year of build."

National energy policy and legislation is aimed at securing 10.4% of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2010, with wind expected to contribute 8000 MW, or three quarters of the total within the next six years. The market is driven by a requirement on electricity supply companies to source increasing proportions of their supply from green power sources. The current Renewables Obligation (RO) is 4.3%, with total available renewables generation of only 3%. The government's horizon for setting percentage increments so far rests at 15% by 2010, with the BWEA lobbying for 20% by 2020. The RO is guaranteed in law to run until 2027.