Charities write to government in support of onshore wind
We’ve brought together a group of charities including Friends of the Earth, Green Alliance and The Wildlife Trusts, to write to the government in support of onshore wind.
A line of wind turbines stretch into the horizon, with a crowd of people at the base.
Our letter urges ministers to remove planning restrictions in England that effectively block new onshore wind projects, to protect the UK’s energy security as well as the climate and address skyrocketing energy prices.
We’ve done this as ministers are set to make key decisions on the future of onshore wind. The forthcoming energy security statement could see a step backwards for the climate with the announcement of new oil and gas projects, including fracking, along with expensive and slow nuclear projects. It could also open the door to new onshore wind, and that’s what we want to see.
We support recent reports that the government is considering replacing the planning barriers blocking new onshore wind power in England with a more proportionate system, and urge quick, meaningful action to unblock wind and allow communities across the UK to benefit from clean, cheap and reliable energy. Current planning systems have effectively banned onshore wind, with a Whitehall source finally admitting recently that “we have basically had a moratorium on onshore wind for the last seven years”.
The letter also calls on the government to build a secure, low-carbon energy system that works for everyone by ensuring that enough new renewable electricity capacity is included each year in the Contracts for Difference auctions, that there is a route to market for community energy projects and that Ofgem has a zero-carbon mandate.
Onshore wind is now six times cheaper than gas power. If the planning system was rationalised it could be built quickly, and it is popular with the UK public with 80% support. Its expansion is a vital part in securing the UK’s energy supply, ending reliance on fossil fuels and the volatile prices produced by our reliance on gas.
The clean electricity supply that the UK will need in 2030 will require installed capacity of 45GW of offshore wind, 35GW of onshore wind and 45GW of solar. Currently there is just 11GW of offshore wind, 14GW of onshore wind and less than 14GW of solar, leaving just eight years to triple our installed capacity. Unblocking onshore wind in England would help to get the UK onto the path for a clean, secure energy grid.
We think it beggars belief that, as people are facing an unprecedented spike in energy costs that could push millions into poverty, ministers are still blocking one of the cheapest forms of energy. Onshore wind is clean, low-cost and extremely popular among people across the UK. It’s beyond time to end reliance on gas and start powering our lives with our abundant domestic renewable energy resources