AS East Lancashire is well aware, wind farms generate not just electricity, but huge controversy.

But there must be an immense welcome today for the announcement by the government of a huge expansion of them in the place where they stand to cause the least contention -- offshore.

And the North West figures greatly in the proposals for the new wind farms -- each of which will have hundreds of turbines -- with Morecambe Bay earmarked as a prime site.

But although this step may diminish the planning rows over land-based wind farms -- such as that over the proposed 26-turbine one at Scout Moor near Edenfield -- it is necessary for far more than aesthetic concerns.

For the country simply cannot continue with its high dependency on power produced from fossil fuels as their supply is finite. Nor can the risks to the earth's atmosphere and climate caused by the emissions from conventional power stations be allowed to grow.

The new giant offshore wind farms will mark a significant stride towards 'clean' energy, more of which will be necessary to cope with the ever-growing demand for electricity. Not only that, thousands of jobs will be created during the construction of the farms.

The gains for the environment, jobs and the country's energy needs should blow away any doubts about wind power from offshore.