Wind energy generation is currently the most advanced and efficient renewables technology.

While the ideal future scenario is for the UK’s energy mix to be diverse and sustainable in the long-term, wind power has a number of clear advantages:

• The UK has 40% of the total European wind resource - a massive untapped potential, theoretically sufficient to meet the country's electricity needs several times over
• Wind energy produces no carbon dioxide (CO2) – the gas scientists believe is largely responsible for climate change or ‘global warming’
• A modern 2.5MW turbine at a reasonable site will generate 6.5 million units of electricity each year, enough to meet the annual needs of over 1,400 households
• Every unit of electricity generated from a wind turbine displaces energy that would otherwise be generated from fossil fuels
• One modern turbine saves 4,000 tonnes of CO2 each year
• The average wind farm in the UK will pay back the energy used in its manufacture within six to eight months
• The average cost of generating electricity from onshore wind is now around 3-4p per kilowatt hour, competitive with new coal (2.5-4.5p) and cheaper than new nuclear (4-7p)
• Unlike nuclear power stations wind energy produces no radioactive waste for future generations to deal with
• Unlike large power stations, electricity from wind farms can be fed directly into the distribution network, reducing electricity transmission losses and cutting waste
• The small size of individual wind farms reduces the risk of technical failure or industrial action compared with larger generating units.
• Wind energy is good for remote rural and island communities - the supply can be connected to diesel or solar systems to provide back-up when the wind is not blowing.
• Energy diversity, with wind as a major component, lessens international political sensitivity concerning fossil fuel reserves, volatility of oil and gas prices and the risks associated with nuclear power.