Jan 27 - Mail on Sunday; London (UK)

Plans to build 20,000 wind turbines on and offshore to meet ambitious climate change targets will create 200,000 jobs, a new study will reveal.

According to the British Wind Energy Association, over the next 12 years there will be a construction revolution creating a wind energy sector that will rival some of our largest industries.

There are currently about 20,000 jobs involved in the wind industry in Britain, but this is set to grow substantially.

Under new European Commission proposals, Britain is required to increase its proportion of energy production from renewable sources from 1.3 per cent of the total in 2005 to 15 per cent in 2020 - the equivalent of building a further 20,000 wind turbines.

The boom in the wind farm industry will be just the start of an 'energy revolution' that will create a multibillion pound renewable energy market,' Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks told Financial Mail.

'I want the UK to become a world leader in this market,' he said. 'I am optimistic that there will be huge opportunities for us as we become a low-carbon economy.' Meanwhile, Wicks has asked Ofgem to investigate why there are so few new entrants into the energy industry, which is dominated by six giant companies.

He said: 'I am concerned that there might be impediments into coming into the market.'

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