Onshore wind to double by 2030

THE UK Government has unveiled its plan to almost double onshore wind across England by 2030 in a move that could have implications for Wales.

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Ministers want to expand England’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. Wales had no such ban, and opponents have argued that the nation was being used to erect wind farms to provide power for England.

The UK Government's move puts 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 UK Government set out 40 actions for ministers and industry to take to hit the 2030 onshore wind ambitions.