The UK Government has convened the first meeting of the Onshore Wind Industry Taskforce, aimed at accelerating the deployment of onshore wind energy through 2030 and beyond. The taskforce brings together key organizations from government, industry, regulatory, and other relevant bodies to address barriers and advance onshore wind projects.
The meeting was chaired by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and EDF Renewables' UK and Ireland chief executive Matthieu Hue. Hue emphasized the importance of onshore wind, stating, “Onshore wind is already playing a vital role in the UK and is one of the most cost-effective forms of new electricity generation but more must be done to unlock its full potential. By bringing industry and government together, the taskforce is focused on creating practical solutions to overcome barriers to accelerate our journey to achieving net zero.”
Gillian Noble, ScottishPower Renewables' development managing director, also highlighted the collaborative effort, saying, “It was great to see such positive commitment from both Government and industry to realising the full potential of onshore wind. Our success in building onshore windfarms shows the difference this can make – from jobs, investment and supply chain opportunities to clean, green energy security and tens of millions in community benefit.”
The taskforce's objectives include removing deployment barriers, ensuring sustainability, capturing benefits, and committing to actionable steps to enhance onshore wind capacity in the UK.
