More onshore wind farms could be built in Wales under new energy security strategy
More onshore wind farms could be coming to Wales as part of Boris Johnson’s new energy security strategy.
The new strategy is expected to be published later this week and is expected to include plans to expand the number of onshore wind farms along with proposals to build up to eight new nuclear power stations across the UK, costing more than £13bn.
A significant expansion in the number of offshore wind farms is also proposed in the strategy, which is being developed to counter soaring energy prices and reduce a dependence on Russian gas and oil following the invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier today Anglesey was confirmed as the favoured location for a new nuclear power station among UK Government ministers.
Backlash
Plans for more onshore wind farms in England have been scaled back following a backlash from Tory MPs but the UK Government believes the Welsh and Scottish Governments will be more receptive to the plans.
To incentivise the proposals for communities impacted by the new windfarms, measures including creating a local fuel poverty fund that can help those most in need and financing insulation of nearby homes to ease energy costs have also been discussed.
Last week the Prime Minister met a group of wind industry leaders and said he was “horrified” how long the planning process for onshore windfarms takes.
He was told that a wind turbine can be put up in a day but planning permission can take a decade.
Crucial role
Dan McGrail, chief executive of RenewableUK, told the Telegraph: “Onshore wind is the UK’s cheapest source of new power, so it has a crucial role to play in reducing electricity bills, because we can build shovel-ready projects faster than any other source of energy.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We will shortly set out an ambitious plan to supercharge our use of a diverse range of renewables including offshore wind, solar and hydrogen, all underpinned by nuclear, and continued support for our North Sea oil and gas sector. Any decisions on onshore wind will always be subject to consent from local communities.”
Officials expect No 10 will approve an energy bill to set targets and strategy for energy security, to be announced in the Queen’s speech in May.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Whoopee ! Boris is the ultimate dull boring and unimaginative pil***k who is so glued into the vested interests of the globalist corporates that he can’t divert energy ( mental energy that is) to promoting alternative 24/7/365 systems. Water, in the form of marine, and various inland hydro are the poor relations and he gives away his thickness by letting some wide boy claim a ” crucial role to play in reducing electricity bills, because we can build shovel-ready projects faster than any other source of energy.” We are all tucked up nicely and too timid to challenge this crosseyed… Read more »
This is going to be interesting, the english government are divided about this, most of them back nuclear, Grant Shapps or Michael Green as some people know him, thinks wind turbines are an eyesore and damage the environment.
England’s green energy strategy is to build more wind farms and nuclear power stations in Wales. Here we go again
“Plans for more onshore wind farms in England have been scaled back following a backlash from Tory MPs but the UK Government believes the Welsh and Scottish Governments will be more receptive to the plans.”
Doesn’t that statement sum up the UK. We don’t want them in England, so we’ll build them in Scotland and Wales.
Why do they need to build them in England when WG, via the Future Wales Plan 2040 which bypasses local democracy, is aiding and abetting multi national external developers to accumulate exorbitant wealth whilst more and more Welsh consumers are crippled by the fuel trap? Onshore turbine energy can never achieve net zero, what it can achieve is lots of zeros in the profit margins of external developers. There is a very fine line – and a significant difference – between being a ‘net exporter’ of electricity and being exploited, scarring landscapes and communities in the process. How does Wales… Read more »
Oh, so Tory MPs were hostile to onshore Wind Farms in England for Boris Johnson backtracking, but think both Welsh & Scottish Governments will be more receptive. Is this Conservative speak for. Take them, or else! Ah, yes democracy. Don’t you just love it.