Monday 2 March 2020

Government announces end of opposition to offshore wind

Government announces end of opposition to offshore wind

The UK Government has announced it will allow onshore wind projects to compete for subsidy support alongside other renewable energy technologies.

That’s according to reports from the Guardian, which suggests the decision will be officially announced by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) later today.

The move would signal the end of opposition to subsidising new onshore windfarms, which began as ministers scrapped financial support for new projects in 2015 –  a recent report suggests new onshore wind energy facilities have now reached parity with average wholesale prices in many places around the world.

The government’s decision to reverse the funding block on onshore wind is likely in order to help deliver its commitment to reach net zero by 2050 – wind and solar energy are widely expected to play a vital role in decarbonising the country’s power sector.

46MW onshore wind farm in Scotland recently joined the race to become the first subsidy-free project of its kind in the country, proving that such projects can prove financially viable even without government assistance.

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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