Ministers back level playing field for onshore wind

Communities that want onshore wind should be allowed it, Conservative party conference hears

Energy ministers have backed restoring onshore wind onto a level playing field with other forms of generation.

Speaking at a fringe meeting at the Conservative party conference last night, energy minister Richard Harrington said that he had ‘no point of principle against’ onshore wind farms, which have been curbed across much of the UK since the Tories won the 2015 general election.

“Provided that it goes through a reasonable local planning system, I see no reason why (onshore wind) should not be on the same level playing field as everything else.”

However, he added, that the government would not impose wind farms on a ‘blanket basis’ on local areas.  

At a separate fringe meeting, climate change minister Claire Perry also backed onshore wind.

“Onshore (wind) and solar both have a really important role to play. The challenge is making sure we can deliver to the right cost with the appropriate local support.”

Harrington also warned of his concerns about the risks of ‘falling into the trap’ of treating offshore wind as a ‘panacea’ for the UK’s energy needs following the recent plunge in construction costs for such projects.

 “We can’t rely on any one form of energy.”

And Harrington said he saw ‘no reason’ why auctions for low carbon generation auctions should not eventually be technology-blind, but said this would not happen soon.

He added that ministers ‘genuinely do not know’ about the emerging findings of the Helm review of the cost of energy, which is due to be submitted to BEIS (business, energy and industrial strategy) secretary of state Greg Clark by the end of this month.

“Dieter Helm is a very independent person and no-one can say he is a stooge for government. Greg Clark was very brave to appoint him.”

Peter Aldous, vice-chair of PRASEG (All-Party Parliamentary Group for Renewable and Sustainability Energy), endorsed Harrington’s support for onshore wind, which he said had become ‘politically toxic’ under the last Labour government.

 “A lot of Tory MPs don’t want onshore wind in their backyards. Under the last Labour government, they were being imposed and communities didn’t like it but if communities want them they should be allowed them.”

“This is something we need to be looking at,” said the Lowestoft MP, adding that the turn in the tide on support for onshore wind had happened ‘a little earlier’ than he had anticipated.