Today, the UK Government announced the formation of an Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce.
The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero announced the launch in an Oral Statement in the House of Commons earlier today.
The taskforce aims to bring together representatives from government, industry, regulatory bodies, the financial sector and other relevant organisations to increase onshore wind deployment and meet the UK’s 2030 targets.
The taskforce will be jointly chaired by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband and Matthieu Hue, the Chief Executive Officer of EDF Renewables.
Ed Miliband said: “Onshore wind is one of the cheapest sources of power we have.
“Under the onshore wind ban the pipeline of projects shrunk by 90% over a year ago. The last government’s net zero tsar Chris Skidmore made a recommendation of an onshore wind taskorce to drive forward projects.
“The last government ignored it, we will implement it. The taskforce will work, develop and rebuild the pipeline of projects.”
Commenting on the announcement Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, who has been invited to join the taskforce, said: “In Scotland, the Onshore Wind Sector Deal has been a game changer for the industry setting out a series of key measures to support the Scottish Government in reaching its net zero targets by delivering onshore wind farms quickly, sustainably and to the benefit of local communities.
“What we have learned from delivering the sector deal can play a crucial role for the taskforce by helping to identify current barriers to deployment across the UK and offering solutions on how to improve the planning system and develop opportunities for the supply chain.”
RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail, who will be a member of the Taskforce, said: “This ambitious collaborative effort will involve industry, national and devolved governments, businesses and communities working together to find a new way forward.
“There is a clear mandate for this, as government polling shows that 78% of the public support onshore wind.”
Michael Shanks and Sarah Redwood, Director of Renewable Electricity Directorate at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, will be deputy chairs of the taskforce.
The taskforce comprises the following members:
- Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Renewables
- Heather Donald, Director of Onshore Renewables Development and Construction at SSE Renewables
- Gillian Noble, Renewables Development Director at Scottish Power Renewables (SPR)
- Lucy Whitford, Managing Director of RES
- Eleri Davies, Head of Onshore Wind for England and Wales at RWE
- Lisa Christie, (Interim) UK Country Manager at Vattenfall
- Joanna Ellis, Chief Commercial Officer at Nadara
- Christine McGregor, Managing Director of BayWa r.e
- Dan McGrail, CEO of Renewable UK
- Claire Mack, CEO of Scottish Renewables
- Jason Welch, Managing Director UK and Ireland at Nordex
- Laura Fleming, CEO UK and Ireland at Hitachi Energy
- Fintan Slye, Director of the Electricity Systems Operator (ESO)
- Steve Thomas, Deputy General Secretary at Prospect
