UK plans huge offshore wind development

British industry minister John Hutton has announced plans for a massive increase in offshore wind energy capacity in the UK.  Mr Hutton told an industry conference in Berlin on Monday that a new strategic environmental assessment would launch a third round of development that could quadruple existing planned capacity to 25 gigawatts by 2020.  Green group Friends of the Earth was "delighted" by the move but urged the government to set out the support mechanisms it will put in place to encourage development.  See industry ministry press release and responses from FoE.