Earlier end to subsidies for new UK onshore wind farms
18 June 2015
From the section Business
New onshore wind farms will be excluded from a subsidy scheme from 1 April 2016, a year earlier than expected.
There will be a grace period for projects which already have planning permission, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said.
But it is estimated that almost 3,000 wind turbines are awaiting planning permission and this announcement jeopardises those plans.
Energy firms had been facing an end to generous subsidies in 2017.
The funding for the subsidy comes from the Renewable Obligation which is funded by levies added to household fuel bills.
‘Energy mix’
The move was part of a manifesto commitment by the Conservative party ahead of the General Election in May.
“We are driving forward our commitment to end new onshore wind subsidies and give local communities the final say over any new wind farms,” said Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd.
“Onshore wind is an important part of our energy mix and we now have enough subsidised projects in the pipeline to meet our renewable energy commitments,” she said.
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Source:: BBC UK
