How the UK strangled its onshore wind energy industry at birth
2 years, 8 months ago

How the UK strangled its onshore wind energy industry at birth

The Independent  

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 The destruction of the UK’s land-based wind energy industry by the Tory government exemplifies why so many people were out being arrested in recent direct actions by Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil. The first stake was the introduction of a new planning rule that said applications for wind turbines could only be submitted where local councils had specifically designated potential sites in their Local Area Plans. The cruel irony was that the Planning Framework that killed the onshore wind industry claimed one of its objectives was “to create a low carbon economy.” To keep up to speed with all the latest opinions and comment, sign up to our free weekly Voices Dispatches newsletter by clicking here The campaigns against wind-turbines were originally led by former Tory press spokesperson for Margaret Thatcher, Bernard Ingham, who had later become a nuclear lobbyist. The irony is that wind-energy is far more popular, even among Tory voters, than the more expensive fracking, North Sea gas and nuclear power, which Boris Johnson placed at the centre of his energy strategy.

Energy Planning Climate Industry Wind Sign Tory Onshore  energy  windfarms  onshore  planning  killed  tory  industry  strangled  climate  birth  wind  sign  uk

History of this topic

Nearly half of the UK’s energy is already from renewables. So why are bills so high?
3 days, 20 hours ago

Nearly half of the UK’s energy is already from renewables. So why are bills so high?

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The biggest driver of high electricity prices, however, is the UK’s marginal pricing model, which …

UK’s electricity was cleanest ever in 2024, analysis finds
1 week, 5 days ago

UK’s electricity was cleanest ever in 2024, analysis finds

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The UK’s electricity was the …

Germany's wind power push blamed for SOARING energy bills - and Britain's 'obsession' could mean the same happens here, experts warn
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Germany's wind power push blamed for SOARING energy bills - and Britain's 'obsession' could mean the same happens here, experts warn

Daily Mail  

Germany's green power push has been blamed for its soaring energy bills - as the country's national grid struggles to cope with the demands of ever-expanding wind farms, experts have warned. Worryingly, as Labour plans to quadruple offshore wind power by 2030, experts warn that the UK's grid could face similar issues. Experts warn that Germany's wind power obsession could …

UK wind power hits a record high as it provides 70% of Britain’s electricity, promising data reveals
4 weeks ago

UK wind power hits a record high as it provides 70% of Britain’s electricity, promising data reveals

Daily Mail  

Tapping renewable energy sources like wind and solar will be key to limiting carbon emissions and avoiding a climate crisis. Britain's wind turbines have set a new maximum wind record, reaching 22,243 megawatts for the first time on Sunday evening – providing 54 per cent of the country's electricity supply. Dotted around the UK, wind turbines harness energy from the …

Renewable power set to overtake fossil fuels in the UK this year for the first time
1 month ago

Renewable power set to overtake fossil fuels in the UK this year for the first time

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Renewable electricity production will surpass …

Developers plot England’s biggest onshore wind farm after Miliband scraps ban
2 months, 1 week ago

Developers plot England’s biggest onshore wind farm after Miliband scraps ban

The Telegraph  

Plans for England’s biggest onshore wind farm with turbines potentially the size of the Gherkin skyscraper have been announced after Ed Miliband lifted a ban on development. The Scout Moor 2 project will see 21 turbines built north of Manchester with a total capacity of 100 megawatts, enough to power around 100,000 homes. It would be England’s biggest wind farm …

Developer plans England’s biggest onshore wind farm near Manchester
2 months, 1 week ago

Developer plans England’s biggest onshore wind farm near Manchester

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy England’s biggest onshore wind farm …

ScottishPower aims £12bn more at UK clean energy after Labour solar farms row
3 months ago

ScottishPower aims £12bn more at UK clean energy after Labour solar farms row

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy ScottishPower is to invest £12 …

Clean energy to meet nearly half of world’s electricity demand by 2030
3 months ago

Clean energy to meet nearly half of world’s electricity demand by 2030

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Nearly half of the world’s …

As 142 years of coal comes to an end, how close is the UK to 100% clean energy?
3 months, 1 week ago

As 142 years of coal comes to an end, how close is the UK to 100% clean energy?

The Independent  

When Scottish inventor James Watt came up with a new steam engine design in 1765 that required 75 per cent less coal to operate than its predecessor, many people logically presumed that coal consumption would plummet. By 1882, the world’s first coal power plant opened in London to launch a new era of electricity generation that continues to see coal …

UK: From pioneer of coal-fired electricity to harnessing the power of the wind
3 months, 2 weeks ago

UK: From pioneer of coal-fired electricity to harnessing the power of the wind

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. From the opening of the world’s first coal-fired power …

£8.3 billion GB Energy plan will shield consumers from shocks, Miliband says
4 months, 1 week ago

£8.3 billion GB Energy plan will shield consumers from shocks, Miliband says

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Labour’s flagship GB Energy company will shield consumers from international …

Why Miliband must transform Britain to hit his ‘undeliverable’ green power target
4 months, 1 week ago

Why Miliband must transform Britain to hit his ‘undeliverable’ green power target

The Telegraph  

Just as the Government is racing to decarbonise the grid, the demands on it are expected to balloon as the country switches to electric vehicles and heat pumps to hit net zero by 2050. Labour knows it, and made a manifesto pledge to double onshore wind, triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind production in the next six years. I …

Ed Miliband adds £150 to household bills with wind turbine building spree
4 months, 1 week ago

Ed Miliband adds £150 to household bills with wind turbine building spree

The Telegraph  

Bill payers are to spend as much as £150 per household on new wind turbines as Ed Miliband oversees a record-breaking expansion of green energy. The money – a total of £3bn, which will ultimately come from consumers – is to fund the construction or expansion of nine offshore wind sites between 2027 and 2031, most of them owned by …

New UK government bets on green energy. Companies are wary.
5 months ago

New UK government bets on green energy. Companies are wary.

Live Mint  

LONDON—As Britain’s oil and gas giants scale back their global green-energy ambitions, the U.K.’s newly elected government is launching a multibillion-dollar effort to regain the country’s place as a global pacesetter for clean energy. Oil-industry executives have also voiced skepticism about Britain’s energy plans, which include increasing and extending a so-called windfall tax on oil and gas production to fund …

GB Energy: Starmer vows to ‘drive down bills’ as Labour launches plan for state-owned energy firm
5 months, 2 weeks ago

GB Energy: Starmer vows to ‘drive down bills’ as Labour launches plan for state-owned energy firm

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sir Keir Starmer launched Great …

Labour to launch state-owned Great British Energy in £8.3bn market intervention
5 months, 4 weeks ago

Labour to launch state-owned Great British Energy in £8.3bn market intervention

The Telegraph  

Labour is pushing ahead with plans to launch a state-owned energy company backed up with £8.3bn of taxpayer funds, in one of the biggest market interventions for decades. In the King’s Speech, Sir Keir Starmer’s new Government confirmed that Great British Energy will develop, own and operate energy projects such as wind farms, using public money as an anchor for …

What is Labour’s Great British Energy and how will it work?
7 months, 2 weeks ago

What is Labour’s Great British Energy and how will it work?

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Under the plans, Labour would set up a new publicly owned company, Great British …

Labour says GB Energy will fix cost-of-living crisis with clean power
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Labour says GB Energy will fix cost-of-living crisis with clean power

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Labour’s pledge to set up a publicly owned company to invest in domestic power …

What is Great British Energy? Labour’s flagship policy explained
7 months, 2 weeks ago

What is Great British Energy? Labour’s flagship policy explained

The Telegraph  

How will it be paid for? But the Conservatives have pointed to analysis from investment bank Stifel which found Labour’s windfall tax would only bring in £6.5bn of additional tax by 2030. The Conservatives have said Labour’s green energy plans are an uncosted “vanity project” from Ed Miliband, the shadow energy secretary, that will lead to tax rises. They also …

Thousands of jobs at risk if UK fails to act now on North Sea energy transition
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Thousands of jobs at risk if UK fails to act now on North Sea energy transition

The Independent  

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 The UK will fail to achieve a “just and fair” transition by 2030 unless the …

British energy production plunges to record low
9 months, 2 weeks ago

British energy production plunges to record low

The Telegraph  

Ross Dornan, author of the report, warned that plummeting oil and gas output was directly linked to the Government’s decision to impose windfall taxes on offshore operators’ profits – prompting many to cut new investments. “Oil and gas investments have become a lot less profitable and competitive as commodity prices have fallen but not project costs and tax rates.” The …

Community wind farms could be the key to slashing energy bills
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Community wind farms could be the key to slashing energy bills

The Independent  

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 …

Energy companies rake in £1bn a week as British families struggle in cost of living crisis
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Energy companies rake in £1bn a week as British families struggle in cost of living crisis

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Energy companies raked in “eye-watering” profits of more than £1bn …

England's GREEN and pleasant land: Interactive map reveals the locations of renewable energy projects in the UK
1 year ago

England's GREEN and pleasant land: Interactive map reveals the locations of renewable energy projects in the UK

Daily Mail  

England is known for its 'green and pleasant land' - but just how green is it really? The interactive map reveals that the UK's wind power projects are mainly built along Scotland's East coast and the South West coasts of Cornwall and Wales Where does the UK get its electricity? The interactive map shows how strong winds, shown in red …

Renewed hope for renewable energy at end of rollercoaster year
1 year ago

Renewed hope for renewable energy at end of rollercoaster year

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Like other businesses and people, the builders of offshore …

UAE invests in UK’s struggling wind farm market
1 year, 1 month ago

UAE invests in UK’s struggling wind farm market

The Telegraph  

The United Arab Emirates has snapped up a 49pc stake in one of the UK’s largest wind farms despite soaring costs throwing the industry’s future into doubt. Masdar, a company controlled by the Gulf state and chaired by the president of the Cop28 climate talks, has bought a minority stake in the East Anglia Three offshore wind farm from Spanish …

Prices new wind and solar farms can charge are hiked after failed summer auction
1 year, 1 month ago

Prices new wind and solar farms can charge are hiked after failed summer auction

The Independent  

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. Offshore wind projects that want to win a Government contract next year will be allowed to bid up to …

World’s largest wind farm starts production off Yorkshire coast
1 year, 3 months ago

World’s largest wind farm starts production off Yorkshire coast

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The world’s largest offshore wind …

UK risks wasting wind farms achievement without new links to grid, report warns
1 year, 5 months ago

UK risks wasting wind farms achievement without new links to grid, report warns

The Independent  

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 Great Britain risks wasting a major achievement if it builds massive wind farms and nuclear …

UK renewables generated record amount of electricity in 2022, figures show
1 year, 5 months ago

UK renewables generated record amount of electricity in 2022, figures show

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy UK renewables generated a record …

Campaign group concerned about wind farms loses fight with ministers
1 year, 6 months ago

Campaign group concerned about wind farms loses fight with ministers

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A campaign group that raised …

Britain’s offshore wind industry is running out of puff
1 year, 6 months ago

Britain’s offshore wind industry is running out of puff

The Telegraph  

The offshore wind industry has long been the poster child of Britain’s push into green energy. Championed by politicians as a controversy-free alternative to onshore wind and solar farms, the Government wants offshore wind capacity to surge from 13 gigawatts today to 50 gigawatts by 2030. “Offshore wind provides a secure and resilient source of energy,” Grant Shapps, the Energy …

Oil giant Harbour Energy blames windfall tax as it cuts hundreds of jobs
1 year, 11 months ago

Oil giant Harbour Energy blames windfall tax as it cuts hundreds of jobs

The Telegraph  

Britain’s largest North Sea producer has blamed the new windfall tax as it prepares to cut hundreds of jobs and shift attention to outside of the UK. Harbour Energy says it is reviewing its UK organisation “to align with lower future activity levels” after the tax rate on North Sea drillers was increased from 40pc to 75pc following months of …

Wind power hits record as turbines deliver over a quarter of UK electricity in 2022
2 years ago

Wind power hits record as turbines deliver over a quarter of UK electricity in 2022

The Telegraph  

Wind supplied over a quarter of Britain’s electricity for the first time ever last year, highlighting the rapid growth of the energy source. Wind now accounts for a greater proportion of Britain’s electricity mix than nuclear, after two large nuclear plants shut down over the year. The figures highlight the huge change in the electricity mix over the last decade, …

‘Misguided’ North Sea oil and gas dash risks impacting offshore wind targets
2 years ago

‘Misguided’ North Sea oil and gas dash risks impacting offshore wind targets

The Independent  

The Conservative government’s renewed support for oil and gas extraction in the North Sea may come at the expense of the UK’s offshore wind industry, further hampering any chance of the country reaching its 2050 net zero emissions targets. "The potential crowding out of offshore wind developers for people and assets risks delaying projects, and could hamper the UK’s ability …

Shell reconsiders £25bn investment in UK energy over windfall tax raid
2 years, 1 month ago

Shell reconsiders £25bn investment in UK energy over windfall tax raid

The Telegraph  

In his speech to the Confederation of British Industry’s annual conference on Monday, the Prime Minister defended the Autumn Statement and insisted that the Budget had restored confidence and stability. He acknowledged there was “more we need to do” but said the Government’s decision to protect spending on research and development would boost innovation, calling on businesses to step up …

UK Budget 2022: Oil and gas giants are hit by higher windfall tax in autumn statement
2 years, 1 month ago

UK Budget 2022: Oil and gas giants are hit by higher windfall tax in autumn statement

Daily Mail  

Jeremy Hunt today announced he would increase the windfall tax on oil and gas firms and extend it to power generation firms as he seeks to raise money to plug a major hole in the public finances. Email [email protected] This means wind farms in UK waters will pay a higher windfall tax than the oil and gas rigs operating nearby. …

Wind farms hit with profit cap to bring down soaring bills
2 years, 3 months ago

Wind farms hit with profit cap to bring down soaring bills

The Telegraph  

Wind farms will be blocked from boosting their profits on the back of the energy crisis as part of emergency measures to bring down household bills. The move to cap wind farm profitability comes after soaring energy costs over the last year forced the Government to step in and subsidise household and business's energy bills, at an estimated cost of …

How the energy price crisis turned wind farms into giant money spinners
2 years, 3 months ago

How the energy price crisis turned wind farms into giant money spinners

The Telegraph  

Spinning in the Lammermuir Hills in southern Scotland, the 60 turbines at the Crystal Rig II wind farm have been powering homes for more than a decade. More than 15 months of surging electricity prices, hovering north of £150 per megawatt-hour, four or five times long-term averages, have boosted wind farms. Newer wind farms are also on fixed price contracts …

Why are wind farms making massive profits because gas prices have soared?
2 years, 4 months ago

Why are wind farms making massive profits because gas prices have soared?

The Independent  

Sign up to our free money newsletter for investment analysis and expert advice to help you build wealth Sign up to our free money email for help building your wealth Sign up to our free money email for help building your wealth SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our …

‘Staggering’ boom in offshore wind as projected capacity doubles in one year
2 years, 6 months ago

‘Staggering’ boom in offshore wind as projected capacity doubles in one year

The Independent  

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 The boom in offshore wind projects over the past 12 months has been "nothing short …

Nuclear, oil and wind: How the UK plans to tackle the energy crisis
2 years, 9 months ago

Nuclear, oil and wind: How the UK plans to tackle the energy crisis

CNN  

London CNN Business — The UK government wants to dramatically ramp up production of nuclear power and wind energy, while also drilling for more oil and gas, in a bid to reduce imports and bring down eye-watering prices. “Building more new nuclear will reduce Britain’s dependence on overseas gas and keep energy prices stable,” Simone Rossi, EDF Energy UK’s CEO …

Boris Johnson comes down against onshore wind power in energy row splitting cabinet
2 years, 9 months ago

Boris Johnson comes down against onshore wind power in energy row splitting cabinet

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Environment think tank Green Alliance said it was “absolutely bizarre” to seemingly exclude one of …

We’re about to see a boom in wind power at sea and on land
2 years, 9 months ago

We’re about to see a boom in wind power at sea and on land

The Independent  

An army of gentle giants is assembling on horizons around Britain. Plummeting costs, demand for clean energy from consumers, and vast areas of seabed being made available by the Crown Estate are together fuelling an incredible roll out of clean, green energy provision which will see the UK become the world’s number one producer of electricity from wind, surpassing China …

UK offshore wind capacity ‘to rise eightfold and overtake US and China’
2 years, 9 months ago

UK offshore wind capacity ‘to rise eightfold and overtake US and China’

The Independent  

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 A huge surge in proposed offshore wind projects around the UK’s coastline will deliver eight …

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Opportunity missed on vital energy reset
2 years, 9 months ago

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Opportunity missed on vital energy reset

Daily Mail  

If nothing else, the Ukraine crisis has at least prompted a long overdue rethink about our energy strategy. Instead, we have a government which seems intent on burnishing its green credentials and pursuing a headlong dash toward net zero whatever the cost. Beacon of humanity The compassion shown by people in this country toward the victims of Russia’s aggression in …

Storm Eunice: Wind energy generates staggering 42% of electricity across Britain
2 years, 10 months ago

Storm Eunice: Wind energy generates staggering 42% of electricity across Britain

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Wind energy generated a staggering 42 per cent of all electricity …

Scrapping green policies has caused household bills to rise by £2.5bn, analysis finds
2 years, 11 months ago

Scrapping green policies has caused household bills to rise by £2.5bn, analysis finds

The Independent  

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 Scrapping green policies over the past decade has added nearly £2.5bn onto the UK’s energy …

Discover Related