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Politicians blow hot and cold, but most Tory members want more wind farms
Credit: Poll reveals overwhelming support for new onshore and offshore projects | By Emma Gatten, Environment Editor | The Telegraph | 28 July 2022 | www.telegraph.co.uk ~~
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New wind farms are backed by the majority of Conservative members, according to a poll commissioned by an environmental think tank.
When asked if they backed the generation of new onshore and offshore wind farms, 71 per cent of Conservative members polled by YouGov said they did.
The Government has been reluctant to throw its weight behind onshore wind over fears of a pushback from its MPs.
Leadership hopeful Rishi Sunak has suggested he would not change the rules to make it easier to build onshore wind farms, which can currently be blocked by just one objection during the planning process.
Wind projects reduce dependence on gas
“Conservative members likely see backing onshore and offshore wind as a chance to reduce our dependence on high gas prices, and with gas set to add £2,000 to energy bills, cutting our use, which also means more insulation, is really the only way to bring down bills. Will the next PM heed this?” said Jess Ralston, from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, which commissioned the poll.
The polling also found that 85 per cent of Conservative members support incentives and investment for homeowners and landlords to improve their home insulation and energy use and stronger environmental standards for new homes.
“With eye-watering energy bill rises due this winter and Russia already cutting gas supplies to Europe, it can’t be right to rule out new onshore wind in England, even where communities support it,” said Sam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network.
“According to this poll, party members back a range of green solutions to the rising cost of living, such as investing in insulation and building cheap renewables. Both leadership candidates should set out more detailed plans to bring down bills and strengthen our energy security.”
A recent parliamentary report called for the Government to roll out a nationwide scheme to insulate homes or risk paying handouts indefinitely to households as energy bills rise to £3,234 a year from October.
Concerns Truss and Sunak may backtrack on net zero goals
Environmental groups have expressed concerns that the two candidates for the Conservative Party leadership may backtrack on the UK’s net zero goals, which were passed into law under Theresa May and included in the 2019 manifesto.
Mr Sunak has been accused of blocking efforts to fund more home insulation schemes despite a Government ambition for around 15 million homes to improve their energy efficiency rating by 2035.
Liz Truss has said she will scrap the green levies on energy bills, which include contracts with wind and solar farms, help to insulate fuel-poor homes, and the energy rebates for low-income households.
“The gas crisis is the reason energy bills are going up and it will be adding an extra £2,000 come October. It’s just common sense that we have to get off gas and firstly that means wasting less, which in turn means properly insulating our homes,” Chris Skidmore, MP for Kingswood and chair of the Net Zero Support Group said. “The £17 billion package to help bill payers this year is much needed but as the IFS has pointed out, what do we do next year when gas will still be expensive?
“Insulation is the only practical way forwards and we need to get on with it.”
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
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