The Fall and Rise of Wind Power in the UK: From 1998
The recent exponential rise of planning applications for wind farms is an incredible story. Partial truths and selected statistics add to the deception as it appears that Planners and Councillors throughout the whole country are being deluded into accepting wind turbines to combat climate change.
1998: UK planning system was blamed for the worst
year the Industry had known
1998 Sustainability North East (Sustaine) was
established. The Sustaine Board is supported by an Officers Group made up from
representatives from GO-NE, ONE, NEA, Environment Agency, Derwentside
District Council, Gateshead Council, English Nature and Northumbria University
1999 Feb : Dismal year in the UK as the planning
infrastruction fails,
1999 Dec: Legal planning defeat for wind in NE
England
2000 Mar: Planning hurdles defeat the Wind
Industry.
2001 Mar : Dti Press Release(P/2001/176 ) Hain
grants Freedom for Green Energy.22/03/2001 Peter Hain, Energy Minister, today
unlocked green energy projects blocked by planning constraints, to drive
forward a significant expansion in the production of green energy
2001 Letter from Nick Raynsford, Minister for
Housing and Planning, to the (Association of North East Councils) ANEC, then
Regional Planning body and author of the draft Regional Planning Guidance (RPG
)strategy. Extract :"Further work needs to be undertaken by ANEC to set a
more specific regional target and identifying sub-regional
targets by the early review of RPG. This will ensure the government's target of
10% of electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2010.
2002 'The energy market, particularly for
renewable energy , is a political beast under political control. To secure its
future the Wind Industry must play politics.' (Sourced
from:Wind Power Monthly www.wpm.co.nz)
2002 Nov Energy Minister, Brian Wilson announced the members of the new Renewables Advisory Board
2002 The Renewables Obligation was introduced to
replace NFFO (Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation)
2002 Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) provides a strategic planning policy framework for the preparation of local plans.The Deputy Prime Minister issued RPG1, which provides guidance fo rthe North East of England
2005 Yvette Cooper, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the ODPM launches parliamentary guide to wind farm development (Produced in association with npower renewables and the BWEA).