The South West RDA and Regen SW have welcomed today's announcement by Gordon Brown and the Crown Estate, of the winning companies selected as development partners for the Round 3 Offshore Wind farms.
This development marks a step-change in the deployment of renewable energy in the UK and represents a great opportunity for the south west.
Two offshore wind farm zones have been awarded in the south west out of a total of nine nationally.

There has been a lot of exciting change of late within the microgeneration sector. On the 12th November, the Green Energy Bill was made law - this Bill states that all microgeneration technologies, including wind turbines and air-source heat pumps (subject to size limits), will be as of the 12th January 2010 exempt from planning permission in or on domestic premises within England and Wales. This is great news for all those interested in or currently in the process of installing renewable energy technologies.

Devon is to get another nine wind turbines after plans were given the go-ahead.

Renewable Energy Systems (RES), which will build the 120m (393ft) high turbines at Den Brook near Crediton, said it was "delighted".

A planning inspector overturned objections about landscape impact by West Devon Borough Council.

Objectors questioned the turbines' output and said they would "devastate a beautiful valley".

The inspector felt that although there will be an impact on the rural environment, the harm caused could be outweighed by the renewable energy benefits of the development.