Latest news with #OnshoreWindTaskforce
Edinburgh Reporter
18 hours ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Onshore wind strategy published – but government says jobs and economic growth would follow from investment in nuclear power
The UK Government has today published a new onshore wind strategy for England but with an estimate of direct and indirect jobs in the whole of the UK totalling 45,000 by 2030. A Taskforce was set up last year to produce a strategy for developing the onshore wind industry in the UK and resolve any obstacles in its path. The Onshore Wind Taskforce has now been disbanded after producing its report. While the plan is focused south of the border, it has an effect in Scotland 'where 90% of the current onshore wind pipeline is located'. The report says that it 'recognises the importance of addressing barriers to onshore wind development across the UK. Devolved matters have been respected while some subject matters which are not devolved under a devolution settlement have been considered by the Taskforce. Therefore, some of the actions in this report will have implications for the pipeline of onshore wind projects in the Devolved Administrations. As such, officials from Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have been involved in the Taskforce process'. One of the recommendations is that the guidance currently in place in Scotland on landscape and visual impact assessments is adopted as best practice guidance elsewhere in the UK, as well as the contemporary guidance on bird collision risk which has already been adopted here. It is admitted that supply chain constraints are less for onshore wind than for offshore, principally due to the hostile environment in the sea, but one delay in the build process highlighted in the report is caused by the requirement for a police escort for abnormal loads in Scotland 'constraining the speed with which onshore wind projects can deploy'. Police Scotland have been working with the onshore wind industry to address the need for this requirement including increasing police resources. The government says that onshore wind is one of the easiest and cheapest technologies to build and will supply British homes and businesses with 'clean, secure homegrown power that ends a reliance on unstable global gas markets' – which is all part of Westminster's mission to get bills down for good. Onshore Wind Strategy can be read in full here. Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: 'Rolling out more onshore wind is a no-brainer – it's one of our cheapest technologies, quick to build, supports thousands of skilled jobs and can provide clean energy directly to the communities hosting it. 'After years of decline, we're giving industry the tools to get building again, backing industrial renewal and secure, clean, homegrown energy through our Plan for Change.' Claire Mack OBE, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: 'Scotland has a proud history in onshore wind and the bold strategy published today reaffirms how central the Scottish onshore wind sector will be to the UK's clean power journey. 'Onshore wind is a cost-effective source of clean energy that can be deployed at pace, supporting skilled jobs and tangible community benefit. Making the most of our onshore wind resource will also strengthen our energy security in the years ahead. 'Scottish Renewables secured the landmark Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal in 2023 and the clear actions published today will build on this effort by tackling the issues that demand close working across the UK. 'Renewed commitments on planning efficiency, grid connections, radar and aviation in the strategy are all strong signals of intent by the UK and Scottish governments to boost onshore wind deployment. We will work closely with all stakeholders to deliver the strategy and determine the pathway beyond 2030 for the Scottish onshore wind sector.' More detail on the over £40 billion of private investment in clean energy announced since July 2024 is available in the 'Clean energy industries sector plan'. Some aspects of energy including the generation and supply of electricity, oil and gas, are devolved matters under The Scotland Act, and so fall within the remit of The Scottish Government. At a recent meeting of The Scottish Government Ivan McKee, Minister for Public Finance, explained the correlation between ways that the government has helped offshore wind generation and The Scottish Government's budget. He said: 'The Scottish Government has sought to secure and leverage competitive advantage for our economy through our budget and priorities for growth. On the offshore wind sector, for example, the 2024-25 outturn shows that we supported the green economy and future jobs by kick-starting our commitment of up to £500 million to anchor a new offshore wind supply chain in Scotland. That has leveraged in private capital investment such as Sumitomo's £350 million cable factory investment at Nigg. We will continue to build on that to unlock growth and innovation across all sectors of our economy in 2025-26.' Nuclear energy There are claims from the UK Government that Scotland is becoming globally isolated on nuclear power – missing out on much needed skilled jobs and economic growth – because of The Scottish Government's ideological stance on nuclear power. Westminster claims nuclear energy could create thousands of new, highly-skilled jobs in Scotland, while delivering clean, secure and more affordable energy for working people. Reliable, cheap nuclear power can support critical modern infrastructure in Scotland, such as supercomputers. Speaking ahead of a visit to Torness Nuclear Power Station in East Lothian on Thursday, Scottish Secretary Ian Murray cited new research which shows that Scotland risks becoming one of few areas in Europe without nuclear plants. The Scottish Government has been repeatedly elected on a manifesto which takes a clear stance against new nuclear development. Mr Murray said: 'In other parts of the UK, the UK Government is driving forward nuclear power, as are countries across Europe and indeed the world. But in Scotland the Scottish Government clings to its ideological objection to new nuclear sites. That means that Scotland is being left behind, missing out on thousands of skilled jobs and economic growth, as well as clean affordable energy. I urge the Scottish Government to put Scotland's interests first.' Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray visiting Torness PHOTO courtesy of the UK Government "Scotland is being left behind, missing out on thousands of skilled jobs & economic growth, as well as clean affordable energy"@IanMurrayMP, the Scottish Secretary, spoke about the opportunities for nuclear energy in 🏴 on a visit to Torness @edfenergy Power Station yesterday👇 — UK Government Scotland (@UKGovScotland) July 4, 2025 Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said: 'Scotland is being left behind. While countries like Sweden and Finland embrace clean, reliable nuclear energy – the Scottish Government clings to its outdated ban on new nuclear. If nuclear industry jobs and investment are banned from coming to Scotland, they will go to these places instead. 'Torness has powered homes and supported jobs for decades, but a lack of certainty over its future puts this in jeopardy. Renewables are vital, but wind and solar can't do it all. Scotland needs nuclear to provide jobs and investment, deliver secure domestic energy, and cut emissions. Most Scots and even most SNP voters back it. It's time for ministers in Edinburgh to stop saying no and start saying yes to new nuclear.' The UK Government says that since Torness started operating in 1988, it has contributed more than £16.1 billion to the UK economy and supported more than 2,600 jobs a year. Together Hunterston B and Torness have contributed more than £29.4 billion to the UK economy. The costs of going nuclear Last month the Chancellor approved spending of £14.2 billion on Sizewell C in Suffolk, the first British-owned nuclear power station to be announced in 30 years. The government will be the majority shareholder along with energy company EDF. Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, said then: 'We will not accept the status quo of failing to invest in the future and energy insecurity for our country. 'We need new nuclear to deliver a golden age of clean energy abundance, because that is the only way to protect family finances, take back control of our energy, and tackle the climate crisis. 'This is the Government's clean energy mission in action – investing in lower bills and good jobs for energy security.' The new power station will be funded through the Regulated Asset Base model which 'protects consumers through regulation, strict cost controls and transparent oversight'.This will reduce the risk of cost overruns which have blighted the development at Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset. One of the latest estimates of cost of Hinkley Point C is around £35 billion, and completion, which was originally to take place in 2017, is forecast for 2031. That project involves EDF as a majority owner. EDF is a company wholly owned by the French government. The Scottish Government is clear in its opposition to new nuclear power stations being constructed in this country. They do not oppose prolonging the life of Torness as long as that can be done within safety and environment criteria. A government statement says: 'We oppose the building of new nuclear stations using current technologies. We believe that nuclear power represents poor value for consumers. This is clear from the contract awarded by the UK Government to Hinkley Point C nuclear station in Somerset, which will result in energy consumers subsidising its operation until 2060.' Wind turbine Creative Commons Like this: Like Related
Leader Live
a day ago
- Business
- Leader Live
Ministers reveal plan to nearly double onshore wind across England by 2030
Ministers want to expand the country's onshore wind capacity from 14.8GW to 27-29GW by the end of the decade. It comes as part of wider Government ambitions to transition towards a clean power system by 2030, with the hope of boosting economic growth, creating jobs, reducing bills, decarbonising the grid and strengthening energy security. Last year, Labour axed the de facto ban on building onshore wind farms introduced by the Conservatives under David Cameron. The Government's move put onshore wind on an equal planning footing to offshore wind and nuclear, paving the way for projects to be rolled out faster in the coming years. The Conservatives criticised the strategy, accusing Energy Secretary Ed Miliband of making the country's energy 'unreliable and expensive' through his 'obsession with climate targets'. As part of the plan, the Government set out 40 actions for ministers and industry to take to hit the 2030 onshore wind ambitions. These include planning reforms, building supply chains and skilled workforces, resolving issues over how onshore turbines and aerospace infrastructure can co-exist, repowering old turbines, and exploring plans to expand the clean industry bonus for onshore wind. The Government claimed the strategy will support the creation of up to 45,000 skilled jobs by the end of the decade. In the foreword, Mr Miliband said: 'As one of the cheapest and fastest-to-build sources of power we have, onshore wind will play a critical role in boosting our energy independence with clean power by 2030. 'The reality is that every turbine we build helps protect families, businesses and the public finances from future fossil fuel shocks.' 'The reality is that every turbine we build helps protect families, businesses and the public finances from future fossil fuel shocks.' Matthieu Hue, co-chairman of the Onshore Wind Taskforce and chief executive of EDF Power Solutions UK and Ireland, said: 'This strategy is focusing on overcoming barriers and challenges we face across the industry in the deployment of onshore wind while capturing the major socio-economic benefits it can bring to the environment and to local economies. 'This is a critical part of making Britain a clean energy superpower and delivering energy security.' The Government said communities that host wind farms will benefit from money for community initiatives, such as new football pitches or libraries, or even bill discount schemes. A typical 25MW wind farm paying the industry standard of £5,000 per MW of installed capacity per year could deliver £3.75 million of funding to be redistributed among the community on local initiatives of their choosing over a 30-year operating life, according to the strategy document. In a statement, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho said: '(The Energy Secretary) is shutting down the North Sea, concreting our gas wells and he's downgraded our plans for nuclear. 'All this means is that families' energy bills are going to go through the roof, and we'll just end up importing more from coal-powered China. 'The US security services have already warned us that Chinese wind turbines could pose serious risks to our national security, but he won't do a China audit. Ed wants to hit Net Zero targets no matter the cost to the British public.' Elsewhere, the Government recently completed a process to de-risk offshore wind developments, led by the Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme. It said this will inform the Crown Estate's marine delivery route map on strategic use of the seabed so that more offshore wind farms can be built in a way that considers all marine sectors, including fisheries, and protects the environment. James Robottom, RenewableUK's head of onshore wind delivery, said: 'Overturning the unpopular onshore wind ban, which deprived us of one of the quickest and cheapest technologies to build for a decade, was just the start. 'The hard work to make the most of this great opportunity to grow our economy and strengthen the UK's energy security is now in full swing.' Sue Ferns, senior deputy general secretary of trade union Prospect, said: 'The lost years resulting from the last government's inexplicable ban have resulted in significant workforce and skills-related challenges that urgently need to be addressed, which hopefully they will be in the forthcoming clean energy workforce plan.'
South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Ministers reveal plan to nearly double onshore wind across England by 2030
Ministers want to expand the country's onshore wind capacity from 14.8GW to 27-29GW by the end of the decade. It comes as part of wider Government ambitions to transition towards a clean power system by 2030, with the hope of boosting economic growth, creating jobs, reducing bills, decarbonising the grid and strengthening energy security. Last year, Labour axed the de facto ban on building onshore wind farms introduced by the Conservatives under David Cameron. The Government's move put onshore wind on an equal planning footing to offshore wind and nuclear, paving the way for projects to be rolled out faster in the coming years. The Conservatives criticised the strategy, accusing Energy Secretary Ed Miliband of making the country's energy 'unreliable and expensive' through his 'obsession with climate targets'. As part of the plan, the Government set out 40 actions for ministers and industry to take to hit the 2030 onshore wind ambitions. These include planning reforms, building supply chains and skilled workforces, resolving issues over how onshore turbines and aerospace infrastructure can co-exist, repowering old turbines, and exploring plans to expand the clean industry bonus for onshore wind. The Government claimed the strategy will support the creation of up to 45,000 skilled jobs by the end of the decade. In the foreword, Mr Miliband said: 'As one of the cheapest and fastest-to-build sources of power we have, onshore wind will play a critical role in boosting our energy independence with clean power by 2030. 'The reality is that every turbine we build helps protect families, businesses and the public finances from future fossil fuel shocks.' 'The reality is that every turbine we build helps protect families, businesses and the public finances from future fossil fuel shocks.' Matthieu Hue, co-chairman of the Onshore Wind Taskforce and chief executive of EDF Power Solutions UK and Ireland, said: 'This strategy is focusing on overcoming barriers and challenges we face across the industry in the deployment of onshore wind while capturing the major socio-economic benefits it can bring to the environment and to local economies. 'This is a critical part of making Britain a clean energy superpower and delivering energy security.' The Government said communities that host wind farms will benefit from money for community initiatives, such as new football pitches or libraries, or even bill discount schemes. A typical 25MW wind farm paying the industry standard of £5,000 per MW of installed capacity per year could deliver £3.75 million of funding to be redistributed among the community on local initiatives of their choosing over a 30-year operating life, according to the strategy document. In a statement, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho said: '(The Energy Secretary) is shutting down the North Sea, concreting our gas wells and he's downgraded our plans for nuclear. 'All this means is that families' energy bills are going to go through the roof, and we'll just end up importing more from coal-powered China. 'The US security services have already warned us that Chinese wind turbines could pose serious risks to our national security, but he won't do a China audit. Ed wants to hit Net Zero targets no matter the cost to the British public.' Elsewhere, the Government recently completed a process to de-risk offshore wind developments, led by the Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme. It said this will inform the Crown Estate's marine delivery route map on strategic use of the seabed so that more offshore wind farms can be built in a way that considers all marine sectors, including fisheries, and protects the environment. James Robottom, RenewableUK's head of onshore wind delivery, said: 'Overturning the unpopular onshore wind ban, which deprived us of one of the quickest and cheapest technologies to build for a decade, was just the start. 'The hard work to make the most of this great opportunity to grow our economy and strengthen the UK's energy security is now in full swing.' Sue Ferns, senior deputy general secretary of trade union Prospect, said: 'The lost years resulting from the last government's inexplicable ban have resulted in significant workforce and skills-related challenges that urgently need to be addressed, which hopefully they will be in the forthcoming clean energy workforce plan.'
North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Ministers reveal plan to nearly double onshore wind across England by 2030
Ministers want to expand the country's onshore wind capacity from 14.8GW to 27-29GW by the end of the decade. It comes as part of wider Government ambitions to transition towards a clean power system by 2030, with the hope of boosting economic growth, creating jobs, reducing bills, decarbonising the grid and strengthening energy security. Last year, Labour axed the de facto ban on building onshore wind farms introduced by the Conservatives under David Cameron. The Government's move put onshore wind on an equal planning footing to offshore wind and nuclear, paving the way for projects to be rolled out faster in the coming years. The Conservatives criticised the strategy, accusing Energy Secretary Ed Miliband of making the country's energy 'unreliable and expensive' through his 'obsession with climate targets'. As part of the plan, the Government set out 40 actions for ministers and industry to take to hit the 2030 onshore wind ambitions. These include planning reforms, building supply chains and skilled workforces, resolving issues over how onshore turbines and aerospace infrastructure can co-exist, repowering old turbines, and exploring plans to expand the clean industry bonus for onshore wind. The Government claimed the strategy will support the creation of up to 45,000 skilled jobs by the end of the decade. In the foreword, Mr Miliband said: 'As one of the cheapest and fastest-to-build sources of power we have, onshore wind will play a critical role in boosting our energy independence with clean power by 2030. 'The reality is that every turbine we build helps protect families, businesses and the public finances from future fossil fuel shocks.' 'The reality is that every turbine we build helps protect families, businesses and the public finances from future fossil fuel shocks.' Matthieu Hue, co-chairman of the Onshore Wind Taskforce and chief executive of EDF Power Solutions UK and Ireland, said: 'This strategy is focusing on overcoming barriers and challenges we face across the industry in the deployment of onshore wind while capturing the major socio-economic benefits it can bring to the environment and to local economies. 'This is a critical part of making Britain a clean energy superpower and delivering energy security.' The Government said communities that host wind farms will benefit from money for community initiatives, such as new football pitches or libraries, or even bill discount schemes. A typical 25MW wind farm paying the industry standard of £5,000 per MW of installed capacity per year could deliver £3.75 million of funding to be redistributed among the community on local initiatives of their choosing over a 30-year operating life, according to the strategy document. In a statement, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho said: '(The Energy Secretary) is shutting down the North Sea, concreting our gas wells and he's downgraded our plans for nuclear. 'All this means is that families' energy bills are going to go through the roof, and we'll just end up importing more from coal-powered China. 'The US security services have already warned us that Chinese wind turbines could pose serious risks to our national security, but he won't do a China audit. Ed wants to hit Net Zero targets no matter the cost to the British public.' Elsewhere, the Government recently completed a process to de-risk offshore wind developments, led by the Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme. It said this will inform the Crown Estate's marine delivery route map on strategic use of the seabed so that more offshore wind farms can be built in a way that considers all marine sectors, including fisheries, and protects the environment. James Robottom, RenewableUK's head of onshore wind delivery, said: 'Overturning the unpopular onshore wind ban, which deprived us of one of the quickest and cheapest technologies to build for a decade, was just the start. 'The hard work to make the most of this great opportunity to grow our economy and strengthen the UK's energy security is now in full swing.' Sue Ferns, senior deputy general secretary of trade union Prospect, said: 'The lost years resulting from the last government's inexplicable ban have resulted in significant workforce and skills-related challenges that urgently need to be addressed, which hopefully they will be in the forthcoming clean energy workforce plan.'
Rhyl Journal
a day ago
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Ministers reveal plan to nearly double onshore wind across England by 2030
Ministers want to expand the country's onshore wind capacity from 14.8GW to 27-29GW by the end of the decade. It comes as part of wider Government ambitions to transition towards a clean power system by 2030, with the hope of boosting economic growth, creating jobs, reducing bills, decarbonising the grid and strengthening energy security. Last year, Labour axed the de facto ban on building onshore wind farms introduced by the Conservatives under David Cameron. The Government's move put onshore wind on an equal planning footing to offshore wind and nuclear, paving the way for projects to be rolled out faster in the coming years. The Conservatives criticised the strategy, accusing Energy Secretary Ed Miliband of making the country's energy 'unreliable and expensive' through his 'obsession with climate targets'. As part of the plan, the Government set out 40 actions for ministers and industry to take to hit the 2030 onshore wind ambitions. These include planning reforms, building supply chains and skilled workforces, resolving issues over how onshore turbines and aerospace infrastructure can co-exist, repowering old turbines, and exploring plans to expand the clean industry bonus for onshore wind. The Government claimed the strategy will support the creation of up to 45,000 skilled jobs by the end of the decade. In the foreword, Mr Miliband said: 'As one of the cheapest and fastest-to-build sources of power we have, onshore wind will play a critical role in boosting our energy independence with clean power by 2030. 'The reality is that every turbine we build helps protect families, businesses and the public finances from future fossil fuel shocks.' 'The reality is that every turbine we build helps protect families, businesses and the public finances from future fossil fuel shocks.' Matthieu Hue, co-chairman of the Onshore Wind Taskforce and chief executive of EDF Power Solutions UK and Ireland, said: 'This strategy is focusing on overcoming barriers and challenges we face across the industry in the deployment of onshore wind while capturing the major socio-economic benefits it can bring to the environment and to local economies. 'This is a critical part of making Britain a clean energy superpower and delivering energy security.' The Government said communities that host wind farms will benefit from money for community initiatives, such as new football pitches or libraries, or even bill discount schemes. A typical 25MW wind farm paying the industry standard of £5,000 per MW of installed capacity per year could deliver £3.75 million of funding to be redistributed among the community on local initiatives of their choosing over a 30-year operating life, according to the strategy document. In a statement, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho said: '(The Energy Secretary) is shutting down the North Sea, concreting our gas wells and he's downgraded our plans for nuclear. 'All this means is that families' energy bills are going to go through the roof, and we'll just end up importing more from coal-powered China. 'The US security services have already warned us that Chinese wind turbines could pose serious risks to our national security, but he won't do a China audit. Ed wants to hit Net Zero targets no matter the cost to the British public.' Elsewhere, the Government recently completed a process to de-risk offshore wind developments, led by the Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme. It said this will inform the Crown Estate's marine delivery route map on strategic use of the seabed so that more offshore wind farms can be built in a way that considers all marine sectors, including fisheries, and protects the environment. James Robottom, RenewableUK's head of onshore wind delivery, said: 'Overturning the unpopular onshore wind ban, which deprived us of one of the quickest and cheapest technologies to build for a decade, was just the start. 'The hard work to make the most of this great opportunity to grow our economy and strengthen the UK's energy security is now in full swing.' Sue Ferns, senior deputy general secretary of trade union Prospect, said: 'The lost years resulting from the last government's inexplicable ban have resulted in significant workforce and skills-related challenges that urgently need to be addressed, which hopefully they will be in the forthcoming clean energy workforce plan.'
