UK windfarms should be subsidised more heavily, a green energy trade group claims – and it should be easier to gain planning permission for them.
RenewableUK said last night that small and medium-sized turbine developments were now worth £100million a year to the British economy – but this contribution was under threat because of falling government incentives.
It is now calling on Westminster to support growth with better policies – more subsidies and more favourable planning rules.
Anti-windfarm campaigners branded the claims “grotesque” last night, saying the appeal was “the last gasp of an industry which knows the gravy train is coming to an end”.
Subsidies for windfarms and other low-carbon measures make up about £185 of the average £1,247 household energy bill – more than twice what it cost five years ago.
However, at the end of last year, the rate paid for electricity produced by small-scale wind turbines was cut by 40%.
In a new report, RenewableUK said the number of people installing small and medium-sized wind turbines reached an all-time high last year as people took advantage of the previous feed-in-tariff system before payment levels were reduced.
RenewableUK chief executive Maria McCaffery said the government must support the industry’s future.
“This technology brings over £100million into the rural economy and in the past couple of years we have seen the market almost double in size,” she said.
“Despite the remarkable progress, serious challenges remain in terms of building the right policy framework for the industry, most notably the difficulty in achieving planning permission and the changes to the feed-in tariff.
“Significant growth took place before the government’s decision to bring together all small wind turbines under the same feed-in tariff bracket, and reduce the tariff level.”
The report also says the planning process needs “further attention” to ensure clear guidance is provided to decision-makers.
Linda Holt, spokeswoman for campaign group Scotland Against Spin, said: “I have been left speechless by this – it is absolutely grotesque.”
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