Header: More onshore wind would cut emissions and energy bills
Dear [MP name],
I’m one of your constituents, and I’m getting in touch because I really want to see more ambition and action on tackling climate change from the government. For the UK to reach the crucial goal of net-zero by 2050, we’re going to need a lot more clean, renewable electricity. And the quicker we can get this, the less reliant we’ll be on expensive imported gas, which is pushing up our energy bills to unaffordable levels. New onshore wind, which generates electricity at a third of the cost of gas power plants(1) is a key part of cutting emissions and cutting energy costs.
Electricity from new onshore wind projects would cost three times less than from gas power stations.(1) I’d welcome onshore wind in our area. And I’m not alone - 80% of people across the UK support onshore wind,(2) and two-thirds of us would be happy to have onshore wind projects built near where we live.(3)
Onshore wind is clean, cheap and popular - but it’s still too difficult for new projects to get going across the UK. It was great that the government restarted the Contracts for Difference auctions for onshore wind (and solar), but serious policy blocks still stand in the way of new wind power. Planning barriers in England are more onerous than for new fossil fuel projects; the level of ambition set in government clean energy contracts simply isn’t enough; and there’s no route to market for community energy projects.
As my representative in Parliament, please can you help by calling on the government to cut energy costs and tackle climate change by supporting onshore wind? Supportive MPs are signing an open letter at www.wearepossible.org/windopenletter calling on the government to remove the barriers to wind power, please could you sign this too? You can add your name by sending an email saying Yes to wind@wearepossible.org.
Please will you reply to this email to let me know whether you will support onshore wind?
Thank you,
[Name]
[Postcode]
1. https://reneweconomy.com.au/uk-energy-crisis-is-a-fossil-fuel-crisis-and-gas-is-the-villain/
2. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1040725/BEIS_PAT_Autumn_2021_Energy_Infrastructure_and_Energy_Sources.pdf
4. https://europeanclimate.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/european-climate-foundation-cross-eu-polling-on-renewable-energy-uk.xlsx