Every home in the UK will be powered by electricity from offshore wind farms within a decade, Boris Johnson to announce in his conference speech today.
Promising to “build back greener”, the prime minister will pledge £160m to upgrade ports and factories for building turbines.
The plan aims to create 2,000 jobs in construction and support 60,000 more.
He says the UK is to become “the world leader in clean wind energy”.
The scheme will see the money invested into manufacturing in Teesside and Humber in northern England, as well as sites in Scotland and Wales.
Mr Johnson said the government was raising its target for offshore wind power capacity by 2030 from 30 gigawatts to 40 gigawatts.
The net zero target means greenhouse gas emissions would be dramatically slashed and any remaining emissions offset, neutralising environmental impacts and slowing climate change.
Mr Johnson’s speech comes amid criticism, including from some Conservative MPs, about his administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
