Wind Power
Energy and Climate Change
Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to prevent the construction of wind turbines in low wind-speed areas.
Charles Hendry (Minister of State (Renewable Energy), Energy and Climate Change; Wealden, Conservative)
In recognition of falling capital costs, and to continue to incentivise developments in the areas of best wind resource, the Government's Renewable Obligation (RO) consultation proposed that from 2013 new onshore wind accreditations would receive a 10% reduction on current support. In the consultation we estimated that the reduction would reduce deployment of onshore wind over the lifetime of the RO by. 350 MW to 490 MW. The reduction is likely to impact on the least efficient proposals e.g. those in lower wind-speed areas.