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Onshore wind reforms ‘won’t revive industry’
by cityam
NICHOLAS EARL
GOVERNMENT proposals to revive onshore wind will do nothing to remove the current de facto ban, the UK’s leading wind industry group has argued.
Renewable UK has sent a damning submission, seen by City A.M., into the government’s consultation on its Levelling Up and Regenerations Bill, which includes amendments to the planning framework around onshore turbines. It fears that the reforms proposed are far too weak to tempt investment into the onshore wind industry
The energy body has highlighted that the government’s proposed new planning rules still require local plans showing areas suitable for wind energy development.
It also includes very broad wording on community consent – meaning that, theoretically, one person could potentially still object to a project to stop it going ahead.
This means that the risk to potential investors of supporting onshore wind in England remains high.
Renewable UK said: “We suggest in our submission that it should be the responsibility of developers and community groups to work together to identify suitable areas for wind farms – expecting local authorities to do it will delay our ability to take vital action against climate change.”
The industry is now calling for ministers to reverse two specific measures introduced back in 2015 which were designed to stop nearly all new onshore wind projects going ahead in England.
Under the current restrictive planning system, no onshore wind farm can go ahead unless the local authority has drawn up a detailed local plan which identifies all areas that would be suitable for onshore wind development.
Lewis is leaving Eon after 30 years to head up utility giant Uniper
Uniper taps Eon UK boss Michael Lewis as new chief executive
NICHOLAS EARL
UNIPER is on the verge of appointing EON UK boss Michael Lewis as its new chief executive, with the state-rescued utility giant looking to overhaul its strategy after last year’s collapse. The supervisory board has announced its intention to hire Lewis, and hopes it can help oversee the German power
