The economic argument over wind power has been settled. Britain’s national gamble on offshore wind arrays in the North Sea and the Irish Sea has been vindicated in spectacular style.

This should be proclaimed, assiduously nurtured, and expanded where compatible with marine ecosystems. If you are looking for a turbo-charged venture to lift British fortunes after Brexit, offshore wind is as good as it gets.

The prospects are suddenly so enticing that we could in theory be an aeolian superpower by the 2030s or 2040s, trading places with Saudi Arabia to become the energy sheikhdom of the northern seas. The deeper question is not whether we have the technology to do it, but whether we should compromise the ecological integrity of the North Sea in such a fashion.

Industry insiders are not surprised by the strike price of £57.50 per megawatt hour unveiled this week for two giant wind projects, half the levels struck in contracts two years ago. They already knew that the technology is advancing by leaps and bounds. But it seems to have stunned everybody else.