Plans to turbo-charge onshore wind sector unveiled

The Government has launched a major plan to accelerate onshore wind over the next five years and reverse what it said had been almost a decade of stagnation.

Its new strategy sets out over 40 “radical” actions to get onshore wind building again across the UK.

They include unlocking up to 10 GW of onshore wind by resolving issues around  aerospace infrastructure, repowering of old turbines and speeding up planning decisions.

It said the strategy could more than double the current onshore wind workforce, supporting up to 45,000 skilled jobs across the country by 2030, as the government pursues its clean power ambition of 27-29 GW of onshore wind by 2030.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Rolling out more onshore wind is a no-brainer – it’s one of our cheapest technologies, quick to build, supports thousands of skilled jobs and can provide clean energy directly to the communities hosting it. 

“After years of decline, we’re giving industry the tools to get building again, backing industrial renewal and secure, clean, homegrown energy through our Plan for Change.”