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The Conservative government’s first legislative steps towards implementing the Energy Bill will begin today with a first reading in the House of Lords, before being published in full tomorrow.
Energy Secretary Amber Rudd said in a statement today that the Energy Bill will give more detail to the government’s plans to reform the planning process for onshore wind, while encouraging the development of the UK’s oil and gas industry.
Under the new laws communities are set to have greater power in deciding whether an onshore wind farm can move ahead or not. Under the current planning regime the Secretary of State is responsible for approving projects more than 50MW in capacity, but Rudd said it is time for local communities to decide if the “now mature” technology receives their approval.
The change in law was announced alongside the government’s controversial decision to cut support for onshore wind through its Renewables Obligation scheme a year earlier than planned. The wind industry is now waiting to hear details of the newer Contracts for Difference (CfD) regime beyond 2020 to understand the full extent that the new government’s skeptical view on renewables.
“In the Energy Bill introduced this week, as well as keeping bills down, reforms to onshore wind subsidies will put more power in the hands of local people to decide on this now mature technology,” said Rudd in a blog post on Thursday.
“The Bill will also help reduce our reliance on foreign imports and support jobs and growth by reinvigorating our domestic oil and gas industry,” she added.
Utility Week understands that a provisional date has been set for a second reading on Wednesday 22 July.
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