Plans for huge rise in wind farms

Plans for a massive increase in offshore wind power are set to be announced by the government.

The new turbines could more than treble the amount of power already generated by wind power.

The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) told the BBC it hoped about 7,000 new turbines would be built around Britain's coastline by 2020.

Offshore wind farms have come under fire for spoiling the landscape and over the rising cost of making them.

British Gas parent firm Centrica, one of the UK's biggest energy generators, has warned that the opportunities of making money from them look slim and that the rising costs of making the turbines could end up ruining the government's renewable energy targets.

Royal Dutch Shell recently withdrew from a project that was set to become the world's largest wind farm in favour of investing in renewable energy in the US.

The BWEA said the planned expansion of UK wind farms would generate enough electricity to supply all UK households.

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