Government Policy and the Windfarm Industry

Unfortunately there is no point in trying to separate government and the wind industry. The Government seems hell-bent on promoting windpower at all costs, through direct subsidies, the Renewables Obligation (see below), the new Planning Green Paper, the Energy Review, and by giving the DTI the power of deciding planning issues for large windfarms. The process for this is through a level of government organisation called "The Regions" which most people have never heard of. Organisations exist in Scotland and Wales and in some of the English regions, with representations from 'green' non-goverment organisations (NGOs), civil servants and representatives of industry. The offices of these organisations usually have a name like GONE (Government Office for the North East) or GOSE. Search for your local office on the Internet and you will find out what they have in store for you.

In February 2003 the Government published the Energy White Paper. A copy of the full report can be downloaded from www.dti.gov.uk and is also available from
the Views of Scotland website www.viewsofscotland.org. There is a review of the White Paper on this site at Energy White Paper

For general background about Government Policy go to The Case Against Windfarms:

The implications of the The Renewables Obligation

The Renewables Obligation was inaugurated on April 1st 2002. It requires all electricity suppliers to take 3% of their electricity from renewable sources. This percentage will rise to 10% in 2010, thus meeting the UK's target for 2010, or it would if there was any likelyhood of that amount of renewable energy being available.

As part of this scheme, the English regions (plus Scotland and Wales) have been asked to work out how much renewable energy they could contribute. The British Wind Energy Association, ever helpful, made the following suggestions

Wind resources by Region

Following the Government's announcement in the Utilities Bill that each Region will be given ' assessments ' and targets for renewable energy, the BWEA has got in early to ensure that as much of this as possible is wind energy. Their starting point is the 'high wind' scenario described in the DTI's recent document. This scenario gives onshore wind 26% of the national 10% target (the other scenarios were 'current trends continued' 21% and 'wind constrained' 13%)

Their research is based on an assessment of windspeed for each region and are as follows (the numbers refer to Installed Capacity in terms of numbers of 1.5MW turbines.

The full report - Planning for Wind Energy - is obtainable from the BWEA website at: www.britishwindenergy.co.uk

High Wind Scenario

England	No of 1.5MW turbines
North East	137
North West	178
Yorkshire and The Humber	131
East Midlands	81
West Midlands	95
East of England	99
South West	251
South East	151

Total England	1123

Wales	193
Scotland	973
Northern Ireland	227

Thus the UK total is 2516 x "1.5 MW turbine equivalents", which is 3774 MW Installed Capacity or (3774 x 30%) = 1,132.2MW Operational (or Practical) capacity, and is assumed to meet 2.6% of UK's electricity resources. The total UKrequired capacity is 52,000 MW, so 2.6% of that is 1,300MW.

In March 2002 Brian Wilson, Energy Minister, launched the Renewables Obligation and produced a list of the English regions, Scotland and Wales, with the percentage of the RO allocated to each

Region/Administration	Low-end %	High-end %
East of England	13.3	13.3
East Midlands	5.6	6.1
London	0.7	1.9
North East	2.7	6.3
North West	8.6	9.7
South East	4.4	10.1
South West	3.7	7.8
West Midlands	7.7	8.9
Yorkshire and Humberside	3.8	11.0
Scotland	11.1	11.1
Wales	4.2	13.4
TOTAL % of RO	66.0	100

The Minister for Energy, said:
"Important research like this is crucial. Educating the Government, local developers and all stakeholders involved is the key to taking the real steps to make the UK greener. "The report shows that the Government's targets of gaining ten per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010 is challenging but achievable. "The recent Scottish Renewables Study, published after this report was compiled, suggested that Scotland alone had the potential to supply even up to 30% of the UK's electricity supply from renewables. Also this report did not take account of larger wind farms which are further offshore than the initial 18 sites allocated by Crown Estates. We cannot, however, expect offshore wind and Scotland to
deliver our targets. I hope that every region will get involved in developing our renewable energy resources. "Targets are no use on their own if there is no sensible understanding of our renewable potential. Everyone working together, one step at a time, with the right investment, is the right way forward to progress the UK's green agenda."Just last week, I launched the community renewables initiative which gives advice and training to local organisation wishing to set up small scale renewables energy schemes. These small steps are the difference between succeeding or failing to reach our overall target."

The Government expects to create a Ł1 billion market for renewable energy by 2010. The main driver for this will be the shortly to be introduced renewables obligation which will put an obligation on electricity suppliers to supply ten per cent of their electricity from renewable sources. In addition a Ł260 million support programme has been provided over the next three years.

Notes

1. The Regional Renewable Assessments Overview report can be found at http:// www.dti.gov.uk/ from the 7th of March The study was commissioned by DTI in October 2001 following competitive tender. For further details on the study please contact Camilla Hodges at Oxera Environmental (telephone 01865- 253013 or Email: enquiries@oxera.co.uk For copies today please contact please contact Rod Brown in the DTI press office on 020 7215 5961.

2. For more Information about Community Renewables visit our website at www.countryside.gov.uk/communityrenewables<http://www.countryside .gov.uk/communityrenewables

The Countryside Agency is responsible for advising government and taking action on issues relating to the> social, economic and environmental well-being of the English countryside. For more information contact the Countryside Agency press office on 020 7340 2907 or 07900 608204 out of hours.

3. The Government announced its proposals for the new Renewables Obligation on 5 October 2000 (News release P/2000/667). Copies of the latest Renewables obligation consultation document are available from the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk./renewable/consultations.htm. and the draft Renewables Obligation Order, which was laid before Parliament on 13 February 2002 is available from HMSO.
4. The Scottish Executive will be implementing a similar obligation in Scotland.

5. The reason why the figures have a low end and a high end is that regions put forward targets based on a range of scenarios.
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