Onshore wind set for extra 1.2GW of capacity
The trade body claim that approximately 50 projects are set to be fully operational in 2016, generating at least 1.2GW of electricity, three times more than the total capacity installed last year, while also warning that onshore wind construction is “under severe threat” following the governments scrapping of support for onshore wind projects from April this year.
The projects are expected to draw £913m worth of investment in the UK economy during their construction and development phases, adding to the £5.9 billion expected to be generated by offshore wind systems over the next four years.
Maf Smith, deputy chief executive of RenewableUK, believes the UK wind sector is strong, despite arguing that the government needs to give the power source a route to the energy market.
“The UK’s wind energy infrastructure pipeline remains healthy in the immediate term, continuing to bring billions of pounds of investment to British companies across the supply chain and supporting 35,000 jobs,” he said.
“Onshore wind is one of cheapest of all sources of electricity for consumers. Ministers need to give onshore wind projects access to the energy market. Without that, Britain will lose out on billions of pounds of future investment.”
