An unprecedented doubling in the South West's renewable electricity capacity in one year is "only the beginning" of a "major challenge" to meet exacting Government targets by the end of the decade, experts warn.
The region saw a 162% rise in its potential power output at maximum efficiency but actual generation grew by just 56%.
This puts the total estimated electricity which is generated at 1.4 terewatt hours (TWh) – around 5.5% of total regional demand and significantly lower than the 11% produced nationally.
Regen South West chief executive Merlin Hyman estimates that total regional renewables, including heat and transport, account for 3% of total use and must increase to 15% to meet Government targets for 2020.
Mr Hyman said that onshore resources were abundant and calculates there is further potential capacity for more than 27.6 TWh of renewable energy within the region.
However, he called for "clear and consistent" policies on incentives from Government and said an across-the-board increase in all sectors was needed to make the massive jump.
"There is a lot of scepticism about renewables but we have shown that the industry and supply chain is delivering," he added.
"The rate of growth has taken a significant step forward this year and this shows what can be achieved.
"We now need to maintain and increase this going forward – it is a major challenge
"This is a positive story but the targets are very demanding and there is a long way to go."
There are no formal targets for the South West since the Coalition scrapped the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) in 2010. But comparing the current installed capacity against the targets set for 2010 and 2020 by the RSS gives a broad idea of the progress made.
Its onshore electricity target of between 509 to 611 MW of installed capacity for 2010 has now been achieved, with the next hurdle set at 1,247 MW by 2020.
The Government's Renewable Energy Roadmap requires 15% of energy demand to come from renewable sources, which leaves the South West a 19 TWh shortfall, a daunting task.
To reach this, all the renewable technologies require growth – including wave and tidal, biomass, ground heat as well as a further rise in offshore and onshore wind turbines. There are now 13 major wind sites in the region, though more than a third of new wind sites in 2011/2012 were classed as domestic.
There are unlikely to be any further onshore wind farms of the scale of Fullabrook, which began generating with its 22 massive turbines this year.
Suitable land is limited and most sites under consideration are up to a maximum of 20 MW.
The onshore wind sector has an annual turnover of around £2 billion with about 1,000 jobs in the South West, which equates to roughly 10% of all renewable energy-related employment.
Industry body Renewable UK has predicted more sites over the next few years.
Tim Jones, chairman of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, said "battle lines were drawn" over the controversial wind farms, with many opponents claiming they are an inefficient blight on the countryside.
But he said that he detected a greater willingness by people to engage on the issue, particularly since organisations like the National Trust were exploiting the technology.
"I am quite keen to get the skeleton out of the cupboard on onshore wind farms, which have so far been seen as entirely negative," he added.
"We need farms which are discrete and respect the countryside and need to find a way to have the debate."
