Wind has a leading role to play in the "rebirth" of UK manufacturing following the election, Conservative party members have been told, but only if key policy areas are addressed.
Speaking at a Conservative spring conference event entitled "A green energy future" on Sunday (February 28), Maria McCaffery, chief executive of the BWEA, said that during the next Parliament, whichever party was in power would need to create a secure financial framework for investors.
Wind offered an opportunity as it was the only technology that could realistically replace the large coal and nuclear plants due to come offline in the next decade, she said, and added that installed wind capacity would overtake nuclear by the end of 2012.
Ms McCaffery claimed that Round 3 could see up to £120 billion of private sector investment pour into the UK, but only if the country could sort out policy issues such as market stability, grid access, and the lack of a supply chain or workers with the right skills.
"The UK's energy supply will be transformed over the next decade. We will see a move to renewable energy, and a vast increase in the amount of offshore wind," she said.
"The question for the next Government is where will it be built, and where will the revenues accrue." | 
