Majority of British public back more onshore windfarms

Two-thirds of people in Britain are in favour of changing government policy to allow more onshore windfarms to be built where they have local backing.

In a poll commissioned by Renewable UK, conducted by YouGov, it was revealed 66 per cent think the government should change its current policy of excluding new onshore windfarms from the energy mix.

Support for the move was high among Conservative voters, with 61 per cent saying the exclusion of onshore wind should end. Of people living in rural areas, 65 per cent agree while just 15 per cent of people oppose the change.

Support for building onshore windfarms over other infrastructure options is strong, according to the poll. When asked which type of development they would favour most in their local area, an onshore windfarm came out on top with 23 per cent, which was higher in rural areas at 26 per cent. It beat a new railway line (22 per cent), housing development (17 per cent), a dual carriageway (16 per cent), a fracking site (4 per cent) and a nuclear power station (2 per cent).

In response to the poll, Matthew Clayton, managing director of Thrive Renewables, a renewable energy investment company, said: “If smart policy decisions are made today, we could easily see over 50 per cent of our power being sourced from renewables very quickly.

“This is a significant and exciting opportunity to clean up our energy system, reduce air pollution, combat climate change and save consumers money.”

The poll, which surveyed 3,609 adults, also shows a high level of support among younger people for action on climate change.

Sixty per cent of those aged under 40 said the government is not doing enough on this issue while 75 per cent said ministers should prioritise increasing investment in renewable energy to tackle the problem.

Renewable UK’s executive director, Emma Pinchbeck, said: “The government’s policy is massively out of step with public opinion, including the views of Conservative voters.

“Whether it’s the over-65s, people in rural communities or younger voters who want action on climate change, abandoning the onshore wind ban is popular across the board.

“Onshore wind is the UK’s cheapest new power source, bar none, and excluding it from the market means we’ll have to rely on more expensive technologies to meet our future power needs.

“It’s difficult for voters to square why the government is bringing in laws to cap energy bills on the one hand, while choosing to further push up costs for billpayers by blocking cheap, new wind power on the other.”