LONDON, March 18 (UPI) -- British Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said Tuesday four businesses secured $6.6 million to help lower the cost of offshore wind energy.
Barker said 2-B Energy, High Voltage Partial Discharge Ltd., SgurrControl Ltd. and Ocean Resource Ltd. secured the shared grant money to look into ways to cut offshore wind energy costs by streamlining design and installation of turbines.
"Innovation is critical to cutting the cost of this low-carbon power source, which could in turn lead to lower bills for hardworking consumers," he said in a statement.
Design concepts range from a two-blade turbine to a control system aimed at increasing the lifespan of offshore wind infrastructure.
Britain has more installed wind capacity offshore than the rest of the world combined.
The British Department of Energy and Climate Change last month said low-carbon resources accounted for 32.7 percent of the energy supplied to the British market last year, up from the 29.4 percent reported for 2012.
Coal provided an average 30 percent of the electricity generated from 2009 to 2011.
