The economic value of the UK’s coastal waters has been put at more than £200bn amid growing recognition of the sea’s importance for renewable energy and as a barrier against global heating. In an official estimate for the value of marine natural assets, the Office for National Statistics said offshore wind production had soared in value by 37 times in the past decade. Reflecting the growth of renewable electricity generation, the annual value of offshore wind energy generation increased to £296m in 2018, more than double the value in 2017, and 3,612% higher than in 2008. Britain has become a world leader for wind power in recent years, with turbines on land and sea generating nearly a fifth of overall UK electricity, as the second-largest source behind gas. The UK recorded its greenest ever day for power generation over the Easter bank holiday, as a result of the windy and sunny weather, when 41% of electricity came from wind and 21% from solar farms.
Guardian 6th April 2021 read more »