(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-12-09 19:22

Britain is planning a massive expansion of its offshore wind farms to power every home in the country.

The government will choose a number of sites in waters off the British coast to build the wind farms, which will produce 25 gigawatts of electricity by 2020.

The move will mean that Britain's offshore wind farm industry will be twice the size of any other country's and put it on track to meet a target of having 20 per cent of its energy from renewable sources within the next 13 years.

Secretary of State for Business John Hutton was expected to outline the proposal at a conference in Berlin, the Independent on Sunday reported.

"By 2020 enough electricity could be generated off our shores to power the equivalent of all the UK's homes," excerpts from his speech published in the newspaper said.

"The challenge for government and for industry is to turn this potential for our energy and economy into a cost-effective reality.

"This will be a major challenge."

The announcement has come just weeks after Mr Hutton reportedly knocked back plans to expand Britain's sources of renewable energy.