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Grant Shapps says he does not support ‘a vast increase’ in onshore wind farms ahead of the energy security strategy reveal next week 

Credit:  It had been reported that Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng wanted to double onshore wind power by 2030, and treble it by 2035. | Sophie Morris, Political reporter | Sky News | news.sky.com ~~

Grant Shapps has pushed back against reported proposals to increase the number of onshore windfarms as the government prepares to unveil its energy security strategy next week.

The transport secretary told Sky News’ Ridge on Sunday programme that onshore windfarms are “eyesores” and damage the environment, adding that he personally does not favour “a vast increase” in the number of them.

It had been reported that Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng wanted to double onshore wind power by 2030, and treble it by 2035.

On Sunday, Downing Street said any decisions on onshore wind “will always be subject to consent from local authorities”.

Onshore wind farms ‘an eyesore’

Looking ahead to the government’s energy strategy reveal next week Mr Shapps told Sky News the government “will be looking for a greater mix to produce our energy”, adding: “You might expect to see more nuclear reactors, nuclear power.”

Asked if planning laws should be relaxed to allow for more onshore windfarms, the transport secretary said: “I don’t favour a vast increase in onshore wind farms, for pretty obvious reasons – they sit on the hills there and can create something of an eyesore for communities as well as actual problems of noise as well.

“So I think for reasons of environmental protection, the way to go with this is largely, not entirely, but largely off-sea.”

Pressed on whether that means the idea of a big increase in the number of onshore wind farms is effectively off the table for now, he added: “I’d urge you to wait for the energy strategy later in the week.

“But my thinking is what you really want to do is develop in other ways – nuclear, we will have offshore wind. I don’t think you want a huge expansion of onshore wind.

“There may be cases where it makes sense, but I think by and large we’ve established… that offshore works very well. And by the way, it’s providing quite a lot of our electricity already.”

‘More nuclear power’ expected in energy plan

It comes as the The Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported that Boris Johnson is preparing to announce plans to expand the government’s commitment to move forward with new nuclear power stations this decade.

A Number 10 spokesperson said: “Next week we will set out an ambitious plan to supercharge our use of a diverse range of renewables including offshore wind, solar and hydrogen – all underpinned by nuclear and continued support for our North Sea oil and gas sector.”

Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds told Sky News’ Ridge on Sunday programme that the Labour party supports more investment in nuclear energy to help ease the rising cost of household bills.

He said: “We do support more nuclear in the system alongside that development of renewables.

“I think the danger is that, frankly the individual commissioning decisions on nuclear reactors all depend on the price you can achieve – they can be very expensive if you haven’t been able to get the right deal and the right private sector partners to do that.”

Labour ‘support more nuclear’

Meanwhile, following Mr Shapps earlier remarks, Conservative MP Alicia Kearns described herself as “probably one of the only people in the country who think onshore wind can be quite beautiful in its own way”.

Speaking to Sky News, Ms Kearns stressed the need for the UK to “clean up” its energy supply chains, adding: “I will not have bloodstained panels essentially pollute our environment.”

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Kwarteng acknowledged that while he would be comfortable living next to a set of wind turbines, that would not overrule any local dissent.

“It’s not up to me, it doesn’t matter what I think,” he said.

“If there’s a plan in a particular community, it’s what they think that matters. It’s not my aesthetic preference that’s going to determine it.”

Calls for action to reduce soaring energy bills

Earlier this week, MPs urged the government to take action to reduce energy bills for pensioners and other vulnerable groups.

On Sunday, Mr Reynolds told the BBC the government should be considering plans to ration energy supplies in the UK, and it should avoid “shopping from one authoritarian regime to the next” for fossil fuels.

In response, Mr Shapps said energy will not be rationed in the UK.

Source:  It had been reported that Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng wanted to double onshore wind power by 2030, and treble it by 2035. | Sophie Morris, Political reporter | Sky News | news.sky.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

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