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Whilst some complain onshore wind turbines are a blot on the landscape, there is an argument to say that we’re missing out on the cheapest form of new power in the UK… or at least we were.
Whilst the government had blocked projects, denied price guarantees post-complaints from local campaigners and gave protestors a say in the planning process, they have now made a U-turn on these decisions.
This is great news for the onshore wind farm developers (and solar farms too) who can now bid for price support and will assist the mission to get to net zero and could lead to cheaper electricity for consumers – win win!
Plain Sailing?
It won’t all be plain sailing however, as the government is still giving local people a say about where the turbines are located, possibly meaning only a few expected across England but more in Scotland to the delight of Scottish Power (who also said they would build solar, wind farms and batteries on the same sites to maximise the output and minimise the disturbance in future).
The pressure group ‘Possible’ has campaigned for a resurgence of onshore wind and said: "After years of campaigning we can finally celebrate the UK's cheapest new energy source being brought in from the cold."
Out of favour
Conservative activists seem to be to blame for the decline in wind farms across the UK countryside. With bigger voices complaining about spoiling the view and an apparent annoying hum, they convinced the largely right-wing media that the public hated wind farms and ensured their MPs heard about it. The government's own surveys however told a different story, with overwhelming public support for onshore wind.
This support had now paid dividends, with the door now open for investment and growth this should prove beneficial to the jobs market in energy and we look forward to a surge of growth.
If you’re working in renewables, get in touch to find out how we can match great candidates with great roles across the UK and beyond. Call Richard Hawkesford on 01202 888986 or email:energy@allen-york.comfor more details.
www.allen-york.com