December 7 (Renewables Now) - The UK government on Tuesday announced a consultation to allow onshore wind turbines in England that have local support.
There is now a de facto ban on new onshore wind in England that some members of prime minister Rishi Sunak’s party have pushed to relax.
The consultation on proposed changes to national planning policy will be launched by Christmas and continue until the end of April 2023. It will involve seeking views on local partnerships for supportive communities, so that they can benefit from hosting turbines, such as through lower energy bills, according to the announcement.
Commenting on the news RenewableUK’s chief executive Dan McGrail said: “Lifting the de facto ban will mean we can generate more cheap power to help hard-pressed billpayers and cut our dependence on gas. Creating a level playing-field for onshore wind will boost our energy security while ensuring there is local support for new projects, and we look forward to working with Government and communities on the detail of a new approach.”
Welcoming the government’s plant to end the onshore wind ban, Energy UK's deputy director for investment Adam Berman said that “‘[o]nshore wind is cheap, clean, and one of the quickest generation technologies to build.”
“Polls consistently show that onshore wind is hugely popular with local communities. We urge the government to build on that support, and put in place a regulatory framework that ensures onshore wind projects vital to our energy security are not held back by regressive and outdated prohibitions,” he added.
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