The government has revealed plans to grant ministers the final authority in approving large onshore wind farms instead of leaving the decisions to local councils, where opposition has often been strong.
This proposal is one of many put forth by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on Friday as part of the government’s “ambitious” action plan to achieve 95% clean energy in the UK by 2030.
Miliband also aims to empower the energy regulator to prioritize projects in the queue awaiting connection to the National Grid.
However, Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security Claire Coutinho criticized the plans, stating they would only lead to higher bills for consumers.
The government intends to bring large onshore wind projects back under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) regime in England, aligning them with other energy infrastructure.
Under Labour’s proposal, the government would have the final decision on approving wind farm projects exceeding 100MW, rather than local councils.
Coutinho warned that Labour’s rush to decarbonize the electricity system by 2030 could raise electricity prices, causing hardship for people in Britain.
Miliband defended the plans, emphasizing the need for homegrown clean energy that is within the country’s control, as opposed to being dependent on fluctuating gas prices influenced by external factors.
He reiterated Labour’s promise of potential savings on energy bills for households due to green measures, but clarified that the actual savings could vary.
Onshore wind is considered a cost-effective clean energy source. However, there has been a significant decline in onshore wind projects in England since 2015, largely due to stricter planning regulations imposed by the previous Conservative government.
Following Labour’s election victory, planning rules for onshore wind were relaxed in September 2024, though renewable energy groups expressed dissatisfaction with the extent of the easing.
While public consultation on new wind farms will still be conducted, the secretary of state will have the authority to make final decisions based on national priorities like combating climate change.
Miliband emphasized the need for a national approach to such decisions, highlighting the importance of balancing trade-offs for the country’s benefit.
The government insists that any approved project must offer direct community benefits and proposes establishing a recovery fund to invest in nature projects to offset any environmental impact.
The 136-page action plan includes various measures to expedite renewable energy development.
These measures include prioritizing projects for early grid connection and incentivizing private investment.
The government aims to move away from a “first-come, first-served” grid approval process and focus on projects that offer the most utility.
Currently, there are numerous projects in the queue awaiting grid connection approval, with the potential to add 739GW of energy to the system if all are greenlit – a significant increase from the country’s current renewable energy capacity.
Labour estimates these reforms could attract £40 billion annually in private investment for domestic clean energy projects.
Industry responses to the plans have been largely positive, with many seeing the proposals as a step in the right direction.
Lucy Yu, CEO of the Centre for Net Zero think tank and government adviser, praised the government’s boldness in the Clean Power Action Plan and emphasized the importance of considering consumers and communities in the transition to clean energy.