Comments on: Mounting Costs and Planning woes for UK Wind Power http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/post/mounting-costs-and-planning-woes-for-uk-wind-power/ Independent analysis of climate policy Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:01:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dafydd Elis http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/post/mounting-costs-and-planning-woes-for-uk-wind-power/#comment-180 Dafydd Elis Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:57:01 +0000 http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/?p=1461#comment-180 Along with the climate Change Act and the Energy Act, Parliament has approved a new Planning Act which is designed to streamline the planning process for large infrastructure and energy projects, including renewables and energy transmission networks. I think that one of the main changes effected by the new law will be that the Governemnt will issue statements at a national level articulating the need for, say, more onshore wind farms, so that nationa-level policy questions (e.g. 'Is it neccessary to build more wind farms') aren't addressed at a local level. But I don't really know much more about the legislation or whether the renewables industry is optimistic that it will be an improvement on the current situation in practice. Along with the climate Change Act and the Energy Act, Parliament has approved a new Planning Act which is designed to streamline the planning process for large infrastructure and energy projects, including renewables and energy transmission networks. I think that one of the main changes effected by the new law will be that the Governemnt will issue statements at a national level articulating the need for, say, more onshore wind farms, so that nationa-level policy questions (e.g. ‘Is it neccessary to build more wind farms’) aren’t addressed at a local level.

But I don’t really know much more about the legislation or whether the renewables industry is optimistic that it will be an improvement on the current situation in practice.

]]> By: Dan Lewer http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/post/mounting-costs-and-planning-woes-for-uk-wind-power/#comment-179 Dan Lewer Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:05:05 +0000 http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/?p=1461#comment-179 local authorities hands' are tied on this - they can only follow legislation and there are not adequate provisions for them to approve renewable projects on environmental grounds - there are many other considerations that override (eg. natural beauty). the pound is becoming an issue too - a wind farm will earn revenues in pounds and you are likely to have to pay contractors in euros/dollars. local authorities hands’ are tied on this – they can only follow legislation and there are not adequate provisions for them to approve renewable projects on environmental grounds – there are many other considerations that override (eg. natural beauty).

the pound is becoming an issue too – a wind farm will earn revenues in pounds and you are likely to have to pay contractors in euros/dollars.

]]> By: Simon Billett http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/post/mounting-costs-and-planning-woes-for-uk-wind-power/#comment-178 Simon Billett Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:36:19 +0000 http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/?p=1461#comment-178 Often the problem on the planning from is barriers within the governmental system. In my home county of Norfolk, UK, it is the local government that is left to balance local not-in-my-back-yard approaches with national renewables targets. Maybe the national government needs to think not only about targets and companies but also about the local situation of planning rules and local vetoes. This is a classic example of a multi-scalar environmental management problem where the only multi-scalar actor (the government) is not well connected between national and local levels. Often the problem on the planning from is barriers within the governmental system. In my home county of Norfolk, UK, it is the local government that is left to balance local not-in-my-back-yard approaches with national renewables targets. Maybe the national government needs to think not only about targets and companies but also about the local situation of planning rules and local vetoes. This is a classic example of a multi-scalar environmental management problem where the only multi-scalar actor (the government) is not well connected between national and local levels.

]]> By: Dan http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/post/mounting-costs-and-planning-woes-for-uk-wind-power/#comment-176 Dan Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:33:47 +0000 http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/?p=1461#comment-176 Ignore the stories where someone pulls out of a wind deal - this type of consortium shifts all the time in any industry. But planning is the biggest barrier to renewables in the UK and some new legislation is needed. (isn't CCA 80% by 2050?) Ignore the stories where someone pulls out of a wind deal – this type of consortium shifts all the time in any industry. But planning is the biggest barrier to renewables in the UK and some new legislation is needed.

(isn’t CCA 80% by 2050?)

]]> By: Dafydd Elis http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/post/mounting-costs-and-planning-woes-for-uk-wind-power/#comment-174 Dafydd Elis Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:30:35 +0000 http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/?p=1461#comment-174 As well as affecting proposed wind projects directly, the British planning system is also slowing the much-needed upgrades to the national electricity transmission network in Scotland. Partly for this reason, there are wind farms in Scotland that have obtained planning permission but have to wait several years before embarking on construction while they wait to be connected to the electriicty network. The electricity regulator, Ofgem, together with BERR has recently been undertaking a Transmission Access Review to try to find a way around some of these problems, but how effective any resulting measures will be remains to be seen. Also, the Pound's slump against the Euro has been in the news a lot recently: this has also made the economics of wind in the UK progressively less attractive over the last year or two because UK wind projects earn revenue in pounds but the turbines they use are usually bought from manufacturers in the Eurozone like Vestas, Gamesa and Siemens. As well as affecting proposed wind projects directly, the British planning system is also slowing the much-needed upgrades to the national electricity transmission network in Scotland. Partly for this reason, there are wind farms in Scotland that have obtained planning permission but have to wait several years before embarking on construction while they wait to be connected to the electriicty network.
The electricity regulator, Ofgem, together with BERR has recently been undertaking a Transmission Access Review to try to find a way around some of these problems, but how effective any resulting measures will be remains to be seen.

Also, the Pound’s slump against the Euro has been in the news a lot recently: this has also made the economics of wind in the UK progressively less attractive over the last year or two because UK wind projects earn revenue in pounds but the turbines they use are usually bought from manufacturers in the Eurozone like Vestas, Gamesa and Siemens.

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