Community wind farms could be the key to slashing energy bills

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Community energy schemes using onshore wind to power heat pumps could cut household bills by more than a quarter compared to gas, a new report says. Systems using electric heat pumps largely powered by local onshore turbines could save 26 per cent compared to gas heating, the study by climate campaign group Possible and energy experts Regen suggests. An overly restrictive planning regime also remains a barrier for new onshore wind projects in England despite changes made by the government which it said would unblock new schemes, the organisations warn. “Now the government needs to remove the barriers stopping communities – and our climate – from benefiting from clean, secure and affordable heat.” Rebecca Windemer, planning and communities lead at Regen and one of the report’s co-authors, said: “We know that we need to go much further and faster on clean heat to hit our net zero targets, and our report gives the Government the keys to a real solution.