Death knell for wind farms: 'Enough is Enough' says minister

RogueMale · Post by **RogueMale** » 31 Oct 2012, 00:10

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy ... ister.html.

I presume the nimbies will be more than pleased to have shale gas wells built near their homes instead of wind farms then.

This really is the age of stupid.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 31 Oct 2012, 10:54

RogueMale · Post by **RogueMale** » 31 Oct 2012, 13:53

It looks like John Hayes was speaking off message, and has been wrapped on the knuckles by Ed Davey (http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012 ... w-ed-davey). Let's see if the Lib Dem is able to get his way - the Lib Dems haven't been too successful at moderating the Tories so far.

It's quite interesting to compare the comments on the articles in The Grauniad with those in The Daily Torygraph.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 31 Oct 2012, 18:38

And the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20150316

And my local authority just released this:

October 31, 2012

Response to Planning Minister’s comments re Wind Farm developments

IN response to the Planning Minster’s comments in relation to onshore wind farms, East Lindsey District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Regeneration, Councillor Craig Leyland, has issued the following comment:

Councillor Leyland, said: “East Lindsey District Council has always taken a robust stance with any on-shore wind proposals that would impact harmfully upon the character and appearance of our valued landscape and our residents. That stance has been strongly put to and noted by Government advisors and Planning Inspectors at the numerous appeals we’ve fought. John Hayes' comments appear to signal a change in direction from the Government which we welcome. This Council is spending hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayer’s money each year to defend its planning decisions against energy giants and what needs to happen now is that central government policies are changed to reflect this new direction.”

ends

About East Lindsey District Council

East Lindsey District Council is geographically one of the largest shire district councils in the country, and covers some 700 square miles with around 140,000 residents.

People living in East Lindsey pay the lowest rate of District Council Council Tax in Lincolnshire at £9.37 per month (average Band D home) for hundreds of services, including weekly refuse collection, leisure centre provision, housing support services, benefit support, economic development and tourism, arts and cultural events and planning and environmental protection, to name just a few.

The district of East Lindsey covers virtually the entire Lincolnshire coastline, including the seaside resorts of Skegness, Sutton on Sea and Mablethorpe. In the heart of the district lies the Lincolnshire Wolds, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Email: communications@e-lindsey.gov.uk - Telephone: 01507 613415 - Web: www.e-lindsey.gov.uk

mobbsey · Post by **mobbsey** » 31 Oct 2012, 20:28

“a bourgeois Left article of faith based on some academic perspective”

In the context this quote is used he's wrong -- but in general terms that observation is also correct since no amount of wind will preserve 'business as usual'.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 31 Oct 2012, 21:28

biffvernon wrote:And the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20150316

And my local authority just released this:

Has he got shares in a candle making company?

Bandidoz · Post by **Bandidoz** » 31 Oct 2012, 22:39

You should have seen the Daily Mail - it was front page news (all the others were about Sandy or Saville).

They were over Hayes' comments like a rash, including a half-page article from Christopher Brooker and an accompanying story about how a Japanese company is going to invest in half a dozen nukes.

The same bullshit as usual is banded about (e.g. no CO2 savings) and since enough people are repeating it, I'd say that it's gathering momentum. There is a real risk of the bullshit reaching critical mass.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ister.html

I was in Wales over the weekend and the amount of anti-wind banners I saw was almost scary.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 31 Oct 2012, 23:44

STATEMENT BY EDWARD DAVEY ON ONSHORE WIND

31 OCTOBER 2012

In reaction to press stories about onshore wind today, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said:
“There has been no change to Government policy on renewable energy, as collectively agreed by the Coalition Cabinet.
“We set out in the Renewable Energy Roadmap in July 2011 how we expect to reach our target of getting 30% of all UK electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
“We’ve put in place support to bring on growth in new industries to deploy the technologies needed to diversify our energy mix in the most cost-effective way.
“There are no targets - or caps - for individual renewable technologies such as onshore wind. Nor are there reviews being done of onshore wind on the basis of landscape or property values.
“What we’re currently consulting on are ways of making sure local communities feel the benefit of hosting wind farms, and whether our understanding of future costs is accurate.
“Onshore wind is one of the cheapest renewables, which is why we’ve been able to cut the subsidy. It has an important role to play in our energy future.”

Seems the ministers do not all have the same hymn sheet.
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/n ... hwind.aspx

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 01 Nov 2012, 13:56

The Alderston Group, which represents some of the UK's biggest brands including Aviva, Sky and Asda, said that the energy minister, John Hayes' claims that the government was no longer in favour of onshore windfarms would "reverberate loudly in the board rooms of investment funds" and further deter investment in energy.

Although David Cameron and the energy secretary, Ed Davey, swiftly moved to distance the government from Mr Hayes' comments, insisting that there was no change in onshore windfarm policy, the group warned that the damage had already been done.

Andrew Raingold, executive director of the Alderston Group, told Channel 4 News: "The coalition's continued in-fighting about renewable energy is damaging growth. Business - the engine of growth - has been vocal about the competitive and economic advantage of a low carbon electricity supply in the UK.

"Renewable energy sources are a prudent investment: allowing the nation to hedge against future fossil fuel price volatility and benefit from greater long term cost certainty. These are at the heart of creating a positive environment for business.

"Ministerial comments reverberate loudly in the board rooms of investment funds. And open hostility - on aesthetic grounds - to the most cost-competitive renewable technology, will make investors reassess the risk of putting their capital in UK energy infrastructure."

http://www.channel4.com/news/wind-farm- ... for-growth

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 01 Nov 2012, 14:04

The apparent tensions within the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) were made clear today, as ministers faced accusations they are watering down support for a range of low carbon technologies.
Appearing together for the first time since yesterday's high profile row over wind farm policy, the DECC ministerial team faced questions in the House of Commons, during which MPs repeatedly attacked the contradiction between Energy Minister John Hayes' opposition to onshore wind farms and Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey's stated support for the sector.

Tensions between the two emerged as Davey admitted they disagreed on some important issues and heaped praise on Hayes predecessor, Charles Hendry, who was moved to the backbenches in September's reshuffle.
"The Minister for Energy and I may occasionally agree on issues of substance and I certainly don't agree with the remarks he made the other day," Davey said, before adding that he did admire Hayes "style".
Prospective renewable investors have slammed the government over the row caused by Hayes' declaration that "enough is enough" with regards to new onshore wind farm developments. Leading investors warned that the comments have further undermined confidence in the UK energy policy landscape and are seriously damaging the chances of new wind turbine supply chain infrastructure being built in the UK.
Writing on Twitter, utility SSE attacked Hayes' remark that the UK was "peppered with wind turbines", countering that the UK was also "peppered with energy ministers" as there has been 13 minsters in as many years.
However, Davey said businesses should not be deterred by the row. "Investment in onshore wind is a serious matter and we need to make sure that investors know we are committed," he said. "I lead on renewable energy strategy, I decide the policy and industry has heard that."
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/22 ... of-commons