Proposed reforms to planning permission could place onshore wind ‘on a level playing field’ with other sources of energy generation, industry body Energy UK claims.
A Tuesday report by the National Infrastructure Commission called on the government to class onshore wind as ‘nationally significant’ and centralise decision-making after rules in 2016 introduced an effective ban.
More stringent planning restrictions were implemented under the rules, and decision making placed in the hands of local authorities, causing the amount of newly installed onshore wind capacity to plateau.
There has been a 33.8% increase in installed onshore wind capacity since 2016, compared to a 125.8% rise in the six years beforehand, as per Statista data.
Just ten new onshore wind projects were installed in the UK in 2022, according to trade body RenewableUK, though ten times that was built offshore.
The commission also suggested a new central coordinating group be created, aimed at reducing project waiting times from over four to around two years.
Energy UK deputy policy director Marta Krajewska claimed the proposed reforms could put onshore wind “on a level playing field with other energy projects”.
However, National Grid PLC (LSE:NG.) suggested more needed to be done to speed up planning across the UK’s entire electricity grid, having reported in February that just 30 to 40% of projects waiting for approval make it to fruition.
“Unfortunately, the Government’s current proposed planning changes do almost nothing to remove the current de facto ban,” trade body RenewableUK added.
“Classifying larger onshore wind applications as Nationally Significant […] would help to speed up the lengthy planning process.”
The government is legally required to respond to the commission’s recommendations, the report added.
Shares in SSE PLC (LSE:SSE), the UK’s largest onshore wind operator, remained flat at 1,815p on Wednesday, as did Greencoat UK Wind PLC (LSE:UKW) at 157p.
Rival Ibredola SA, which owns ScottishPower, rose 1% to €11.6, meanwhile.