Ministers will be given new powers to drive forward clean power energy projects as part of a major action plan to reach 95% clean energy in the UK by 2030
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said he will override local objections to onshore wind farms under proposed plans to decarbonise Britain’s power grid.
Intent on reaching 95% clean energy within the UK by 2030, the Government has mapped out a series of reforms scheduled for introduction throughout 2025 aimed at reducing reliance on fossil fuels by decade’s end.
Mr Miliband, speaking to BBC Breakfast, said ministers are set to gain authority over the approval of onshore wind turbines nationwide—a shift from past practices where such decisions were commonly deferred to local councils. Conservative government planning rules introduced in 2015 have frequently seen community resistance hinder or altogether halt onshore wind projects.
Miliband elaborated: “At the moment we have nationally significant infrastructure projects, which are decided by me as the Secretary of State. We don’t have that for onshore wind because it was banned from 2015 to 2024 – until this Government came to office – by the last government, leaving us vulnerable.”
When pressed about overruling local disagreement over wind turbine installations, Miliband confirmed: “Yes, that’s correct.” He further addressed the concerns of the populace: “My message to local people is: people should have a say. That’s really important. People should see a direct benefit if they host clean energy infrastructure, but we do need to build.”
In a bid to compensate for hosting wind and solar farms in their communities, households could be offered discounts on their energy bills along with other benefits, which will be detailed in legislation next year. However, Ed Miliband firmly believes that the British public is “on our side on this”, citing polls that show support for onshore wind.
As the grid becomes decarbonised, the Government has assured that bills will eventually decrease permanently, protecting households and businesses from the impacts of recent energy crises caused by soaring gas prices. Yet, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho argues that Miliband’s hasty move to decarbonise the grid will inflate electricity prices and “cause more hardship for people across Britain”.
Mr Miliband defended Labour’s promise that achieving 95% clean power by 2030 will reduce bills by up to £300, but he didn’t dismiss the possibility of short-term bill increases due to Britain’s dependence on fossil fuels. “I can’t guarantee what’s going to happen to bills next month, because we’re in the grip of the international fossil fuel markets,” he admitted. “It’s precisely to get away from that and having homegrown clean energy we control – that is the way to lower bills.”
Other measures proposed by the Government include granting new powers to energy regulator Ofgem and independent National Energy System Operator (NESO) to expedite priority projects waiting to connect with the National Grid, a process likely to stir controversy.
The Government is looking to put measures in place that would limit legal challenges that can delay major infrastructure projects, including introducing new powers to protect itself from potential lawsuits and reducing the impact of judicial reviews on the approval process. Speaking about Labour’s plan and global emission efforts, he explained to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “This is about giving us energy security. And by the way, on climate this transition is unstoppable. Whatever one government or one country or even one president does, this is an unstoppable transition.”
The energy sector and environmentalists are largely in support of the plan, though some activists have cautioned against prioritising carbon capture and biomass over renewable energy investment.
Octopus CEO Greg Jackson commented: “Britain’s high energy prices stem from years of bad rules that don’t allow us to build renewable energy in the places it’s needed, or make use of cheap wind when it’s abundant, so these are positive steps.”
Ofgem’s chief executive Jonathan Brearley also contributed, affirming: “Getting to clean power by 2030 is tough but achievable; it will require unprecedented pace by Government, industry and regulators.”
Doug Parr, Greenpeace UK’s policy director, acknowledged the complexities involved in transitioning to cleaner energy, stating: “The clean power plan makes clear there are tough trade-offs, which is why it’s vital that the Government brings the public, businesses and industry with it on every step of the journey. We will review this action plan in detail and set out our next steps early in 2025.
“The winds of change are finally blowing in the right direction. However, a plan for clean power cannot continue to rely on destructive biomass, or extend the life of climate-wrecking oil and gas by assigning capacity to carbon capture and storage,” and suggested that funds would be more effectively used if directed towards renewables, grid and storage infrastructure.