ENERGY minister Stephen Timms visited Southampton to take a look at Isle of Wight company NEG Micon Rotors' renewable energy success story - the barge Blade Runner 2.

The minister spent last week touring the country's renewable energy industry triumphs and the wind turbine manufacturers were firmly on his agenda.

The company dreamt up the water jet powered barge as an environmentally friendly means to ship its rotors from the company's island base at Dodnor, near Newport, to Southampton.

Mr Timms doused the eco-friendly barge in champagne, before it was blessed by port chaplain the Rev Michael Williams. Then he visited the Island to see the turbines being loaded on to the barge and toured NEG Micon suppliers SP systems, which manufactures structural materials.

Mr Timms said the area had a big future in the renewable energy business.

"I am delighted to be here in Southampton, it's an honour to inaugurate Blade Runner 2," he said. "I spent the week touring the country looking at renewable energy initiatives. Southampton and the Isle of Wight have one of the biggest concentrations of employment in renewable energy in the UK, employing 1,000 people.

"It's early days for this new sector, which has enormous potential and I'm sure Southampton and the Isle of Wight will play a major role in its future."

NEG Micon's managing director Julian Brown was delighted with the event.

He said: "The visit was a tremendous success. He was absolutely fascinated about wind energy and very supportive and he went away with a clear understanding of the economic importance of wind energy to the Island."