The UK’s onshore wind industry has been urged to overcome increasing political resistance and capitalise on a forthcoming surge in investment to support the country’s clean energy goals.
Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, highlighted the sector’s challenges at the Onshore Wind Conference 2025, pointing to what she described as the “twin external challenges of politics and PR” that have intensified in recent months.
“Traditional parties are under siege and energy and net zero, which used to be a binding force, now just isn’t,” Mack told delegates. “We’re being played very much as the problem.”
She called on the sector to more effectively communicate the economic benefits of onshore wind, including job creation and its contribution to the broader UK economy.
Onshore wind, Mack said, is a “here and now” renewable technology that offers “a near-term, large-scale investment opportunity to support energy security and homegrown power to 2030.” She added that the sector is “already delivering and has obvious growth opportunities that we can make the most of.”
Chris Stark, head of mission control for the government’s Clean Power 2030 programme, said officials have been laying “building blocks” through reforms such as improving grid connections and ending zonal pricing. These measures aim to enable the delivery of 27–29 gigawatts (GW) of onshore wind capacity by 2030.
“We should think of this period ahead as a supercycle of investment for onshore wind,” Stark said. “The opportunity is before us for that.”
Reflecting on the first 15 months of the Labour government, Stark said the administration has been “relentless” in pursuing the Clean Power 2030 target.
“There were many doubters about our commitment, but I hope we are showing that this is something different from your average government pledge,” he said.
He also described the upcoming AR7 Contracts for Difference auction as “a very high stakes moment” for onshore wind and the wider renewables sector.
“I hope it’s going to be key to unlocking a much clearer story of how this story is all coming together,” Stark added.
