Rudd told the RenewableUK Global Offshore Wind event in London that the UK’s world-leading sea-based wind sector has been the beneficiary of significant backing that should see it double in size to 10GW by 2020.

But she added: “These levels of subsidy cannot be sustained indefinitely, particularly if we foresee further deployment in the 2020s.

“It is provided now explicitly in order to enable industry to drive down costs, invest and innovate so that offshore wind is well positioned to expand in the 2020s and beyond.

“That