UK - BWEA's 6th annual offshore conference

BWEA's 6th annual offshore conference is being held Thursday 7 June at the Liverpool Crowne Plaza from 9.30-5.00.

This one day event will examine the key issues facing the offshore wind industry over the coming years. The newly published Energy White Paper gives a huge boost to offshore wind through the proposed changes to the Renewables Obligation. Additionally, the EU target of 20% of energy from renewables by 2020 implies an even larger contribution from offshore wind, which is the technology with the greatest potential for growth. This major expansion requires urgent action to allocate new large sites for development and delivery by 2020. These are exciting times for UK offshore wind, and there will be much to discuss at the UK's only dedicated conference for the sector.

Though challenging, the rewards for the UK of successfully developing our huge offshore wind resource will be massive, and will include opportunities for exports of the technologies and expertise that taking an early lead in the sector will bring. It is also clear that offshore wind has the benefit of being a secure, indigenous, zero-carbon electricity source that can begin building at a large scale in the next five years. No other power source can promise this.

Much is happening in the UK offshore wind arena: construction is well underway at Burbo Bank, the UK's 4th large scale offshore project to be built which, when energised later this year, will increase the UK's offshore wind portfolio by 33%. A further 3 projects are already under construction: when completed they will put the UK in pole position, overtaking Denmark as the country with the most megawatts offshore.

Limited places are available for accredited members of the press, please contact Alison Hill to confirm your place.

See www.bwea.com/offshore/conference.html for full conference programme and details of companies exhibiting alongside the event.