A new dawn for supersized wind turbines in the UK?
Supersize onshore wind turbines that reach twice the height of Big Ben could be built in England if the de facto ban is lifted.
The current tallest wind turbine in England is 126.5m at a site in Essex. Bank Renewables, which developed the wind farm in South Lanarkshire, said it would be looking for sites in England if the ban were revoked.
The effective ban was put in place in 2015 by tightening planning restrictions in the National Planning Policy Framework. To end the ban, the relevant planning regulations should be scrapped or clearly reformed.
Fears that the government is quietly planning to renege on promises to lift the ban on onshore windfarms in England have prompted a large group of green campaigners, business leaders and prominent figures to protest to ministers.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the chef and environmental campaigner, has led a letter to secretaries of state, signed by conservation groups, academics and business people who are concerned that the pledges to free up planning restrictions are being quietly subverted.
Asked whether the government was planning to end the onshore wind ban, Graham Stuart, Minister for climate change, said: “We are working hard to ensure more onshore windfarms can go ahead with community support.”
Paragraph 158 of the National Planning Policy Framework refers to planning applications for renewable energy and low-carbon development, and requires local authorities to accept such applications barring major reasons not to. But this is subject to footnote 54, which reads: “Except for applications for the repowering of existing wind turbines, a proposed wind energy development involving one or more turbines should not be considered acceptable unless it is in an area identified as suitable for wind energy development in the development plan; and, following consultation, it can be demonstrated that the planning impacts identified by the affected local community have been fully addressed and the proposal has their backing.”
Why the UK is perfect for wind power
The United Kingdom is the best location for wind power in Europe and one of the best in the world. In 2022, wind generation in the UK exceeded 20 GW for the first time, reaching 20.9 GW between 1200h and 1230h on 2 November 2022. This was followed in 2023 with a record 21.6 GW on 10 January during a period of strong winds. By 2023, the UK had over 11,000 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 28 gigawatts (GW): 14 GW onshore and 14 GW offshore, the sixth largest capacity of any country. Wind power generated about 25% of UK electricity, having surpassed coal in 2016 and nuclear in 2018. It is the largest source of renewable electricity in the UK.
From 2023, all wind power reduces the price of electricity, but in earlier years onshore wind built before the mid-2010s and offshore wind built before the late 2010s sometimes increased the price of electricity. Polling of public opinion consistently shows strong support for wind power in the UK, with nearly three-quarters of the population agreeing with its use, even for people living near onshore wind turbines.
The government has committed to a major expansion of offshore capacity to 50 GW by 2030, with 5GW from floating offshore wind.
Floating wind…?
Floating offshore wind, based on floating structures rather than fixed structures, offers new opportunities and alternatives.
Basically, it opens the door to sites further offshore by allowing the deployment of wind turbines in larger and deeper offshore areas with higher wind potential. It thus overcomes a stumbling block to providing clean, inexhaustible and non-polluting energy for a more sustainable planet.
Among the advantages of floating offshore wind are the potentially low environmental impact and the ease of manufacture and installation, as the floating turbines and platforms can be built and assembled on land and then towed to the offshore installation site. In addition, they can take advantage of the strong winds blowing in the deeper areas, which improves energy efficiency.
But… how did the use of wind power as a form of energy start?
The first wind turbine to produce electricity was built in Scotland in 1887 by James Blyth. It had a capacity of 10 kilowatts (kW) and was used to power the lights in his holiday cottage.
James Blyth's Wind Turbine for his home in Marykirk, Kincardineshire photographed in 1891
The design of wind turbines has evolved significantly since then, with larger and more efficient machines being developed over time. Today, wind turbines are capable of generating several megawatts (MW) of electricity and are used in large-scale wind farms all over the world.
Design of wind turbines
Wind turbines come in many different shapes and sizes, but most modern wind turbines consist of three main parts: the rotor, the nacelle, and the tower. The rotor is the part of the turbine that converts the energy of the wind into rotational energy, and it consists of two or three blades attached to a hub. The nacelle is the housing for the gearbox and other components that convert the rotational energy of the rotor into electricity. Finally, the tower supports the rotor and nacelle, and it can be anywhere from 40 to 150 meters tall.
The blades of a wind turbine are carefully designed to maximize the amount of energy that can be extracted from the wind. They are usually made of fibreglass, carbon fibre, or other lightweight materials and can be up to 80 meters long. The shape of the blades is also optimized to reduce drag and increase lift, allowing them to capture as much energy as possible from the wind.
The many benefits of wind turbines
Despite their potential impacts, wind turbines offer many benefits as a source of renewable energy. One of the most significant benefits is their ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Wind turbines produce no emissions or pollutants during operation, and they can help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Wind turbines also offer significant economic benefits, particularly in rural areas. Wind farms can provide a new source of income for farmers and landowners, and they can create jobs in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance. In addition, wind energy can help reduce energy costs for consumers and increase energy independence by reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels.
The final word goes to Greenpeace:
Commenting on Grant Schapps signalling a possible climbdown on the onshore wind ban in England, Greenpeace UK Policy Director Doug Parr said:
“It’s taken seven long years, an unprecedented energy crisis and a major rebellion involving two former prime ministers for the government to begin to realise the obvious. Onshore wind could have been designed as the perfect solution to the multiple crises we face – it’s a no-brainer. We’ve got sky-high energy prices driven by fossil gas, and onshore wind is the cheapest form of power. We have a security issue over gas supplies, and onshore wind needs no fuel but the air moving. And we have a raging climate crisis where onshore wind can cut planet-heating emissions and buy us precious time. In the next few days, the government has the opportunity to put facts before ideology and scrap one of the most absurd and damaging policies ever introduced by a UK government. It’s taken too long but it’s not too late to do the right thing and bin the ban.”
Carl Dodd, Property Revolutions Ltd.
