The government has confirmed that the next batch of renewable energy contracts will be rolled out in spring 2019.
After the success of the 2017 auctions, in which the price of offshore wind halved, the government’s Clean Growth Strategy has announced that £557m will be made available for less established renewable energy projects.
The 2017 auctions secured an investment surge of over £17bn and enough renewable capacity to power 3.6m households.
Energy minister Richard Harrington announced: “The government’s Clean Growth Strategy will set out how the whole of the UK can benefit from the global move to a low carbon economy. We’ve shown beyond doubt that renewable energy projects are an effective way to cut our emissions, while creating thousands of good jobs and attracting billions of pounds worth of investment.”
Analysts at PwC have shown that the UK is decarbonising faster than any other nation in the G20, after figures showed that UK emissions have fallen by over a third since 1990.
The Clean Growth Strategy will be published this week and it is set to build on the success of recent renewable energy projects. As well as creating thousands of jobs and increasing business confidence, it is also set to make electricity cheaper for consumers.
The 2019 renewable contracts are also expected to include projects from wind farms on the Scottish and Western Isles, for the first time since the conservatives controversially pulled subsidies for onshore wind turbines in 2014. Mr Harrington told representatives at the conservative conference that “provided that it goes through a reasonable local planning system, I see no reason why not [to include them]”.
Wind farms on the Scottish Isles, Orkney and the Shetland Isles, face difficulties connecting to the mainland grid, but it is thought that if this can be overcome they could supply as much as 3% of Britain’s Electricity Demand.
The Chief executive of Siemens, which builds Turbine blades, said: “It’s a great opportunity for Great Britain. As far as I’m concerned green growth is good growth.”
Renewable UK said other renewable energy technologies such as onshore wind and tidal power could benefit from the same support as offshore wind.
Hugh McNeal, the trade body’s chief executive, said: “We need the Government to show the same level of commitment to our cutting-edge wave and tidal energy industries. Innovative floating offshore wind technology also offers new opportunities.”
The Clean Growth Strategy is expected to have effects across the whole economy, with proposals relating to housing, transport, businesses and the environment. It will also show how the effort to tackle emissions has helped reduce energy bills in the UK.
