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Welsh rural campaigners welcome cut in subsidies for on shore wind farms
Credit: By Hywel Trewyn Daily Post | 24 June 2015 | www.dailypost.co.uk ~~
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Translate: FROM English | TO English
A decision to cut subsidies for on shore wind farms which haven’t had consents was welcomed with “a long awaited sense of relief” by the Campaign for Rural Wales (CPRW).
The group said it “enthusiastically welcomed” the Westminster Government’s announcement.
CPRW director Peter Ogden said: “Thursday’s announcement is sweet music to CPRW’s ears and the huge number of individuals in small organisations and groups the length and breadth of Wales who have invested countless thousands of hours fighting to persuade decision makers of the folly of the Welsh Government’s dictatorial agenda to promote on-shore wind here in Wales.
He said: “It also demonstrates that their massive efforts have at long last taken the windout of the industry’s sails and their battles to protect the Welsh landscapes against the scourge of windfarms, have not been in vain.”
Given that the Government’s announcement also clearly indicates that local people in England will have the final say in deciding the fate of any future windfarms in their area, CPRW now calls upon the Welsh Government to do the same and revisit the way in which
the acceptability of any future schemes will be decided here in Wales.
Mr Ogden said: “People in Wales are now in a bizarre situation compared to their counterparts across the border, that the Welsh Government rather than giving local people more of a role in deciding the acceptability of wind farms, are doing exactly the opposite.”
He said: “Having recently said it wants to decide the fate of most wind farms over 25MW because they are “nationally important”, where does that leave local people in deciding the fate of these development? The meaning of localism clearly seems to have been lost in translation and turned on its head here in Wales, with Cardiff Bay determined to hold on to the decision-making reigns.
This makes the announcement to snuff out wind farm subsidies in Wales even more important.”
He added: “CPRW will continue to remain vigilant and challenge all those whowant to blight the Welsh landscapes with their brash and insensitive money making white steel towers and flailing blades.”
More than £800 million of subsidies – which are paid for through consumer bills – helped onshore wind generate 5% of the UK’s total electricity last year, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) said.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd said there were enough subsidised onshore wind schemes to meet renewable energy commitments.
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