Sorry for the long delay since my last post; a lot of things have changed including my Job and location but I'm back now blogging on my view of the renewable future, I'm also mirroring some of my posts on the developing engineers blog... take a look.
I have chosen to take a look at an issue that has featured in the news recently and seems to be always a point of contention for many people, onshore wind farms.This weekend it was reported by The Telegraph that 101 conservative MPs have demanded that annual subsidies for onshore wind farms should be ‘dramatically cut’. This is also paired with a concern regarding the National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF), which they say hinders any effective opposition to onshore wind farms.
I will focus mainly on the issue subsidies and the wider issue of funding. Firstly without subsidies it is hard to see how anyone could justify, economically, the merits of commissioning onshore wind farms if subsidies did not exist; if anything subsidies do not go far enough in encouraging growth in an emerging market and there review and subsequent scale back will only help us further fall short of 2020 emissions targets.
Firstly I am not in full agreement with the construction of onshore wind farms as the sums often don’t add up; with the amount of electricity actually produced not that great. However at this current point in time we don’t have many viable alternatives, I certainly would rather they remove solar subsidies in this country which were only ever a cursory nod towards the direction of the renewable energy sector, than halt the construction or subsidies for onshore wind farms.
Maybe we should look at the reason why we need such subsidies especially as the opportunity for the UK to be a renewable industry hub is banded about so much by the current government. The infrastructure to support the wind industry in this country is currently not there and the waiting list for wind turbines is a lengthy one, with these and other factors leading to high costs. In August 2009 Vestas moved operations from the Isle of Wight due to uncertainty regarding the industry and of lack of assurance from the government that it will back wind energy; only now are we seeing proposals again for wind turbine manufacturing in the UK, which could always fall down if support is not there for renewable development.
If the government, or more correctly the conservative side of, continues to attack the industry then the costs of renewable energy will continue to rise and become less attractive to potential investors; though maybe this is a preferred option as if renewable energy costs rise it will only give more substance to the Nuclear argument.
Now I cannot say that onshore wind farms are the solution to the energy balance or the best option in renewable energy but green subsidies are a vital component in encouraging growth the renewable energy sector that without them will surely stagnate. Would you rather have a coal or nuclear power plant on your doorstep?
To end on a positive note Nick Clegg has come out in defence of wind power subsidies and renewable energy as a whole, so at least someone is fighting for renewable energy just a pity they have little sway in government...
Also go take a look at the developing engineers website! www.developingengineers.com
