UK government ditches ‘absurd’ ban on onshore wind farms

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The UK’s new Labour government has lifted a de facto ban on onshore wind farms in England, which had been in place since 2015
• This change is aimed at increasing renewable energy production and moving towards net-zero targets

🔭 The context: The ban, instituted by the previous Conservative government, allowed single planning objections to halt wind farm projects
• Labour’s new policy centralizes decision-making, classifying large wind farms as nationally significant infrastructure, thereby expediting approval processes

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Onshore wind is one of the cheapest renewable energy sources. Removing the ban supports climate goals by boosting clean energy production, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and lowering household energy bills

⏭️ What's next: The government plans to double onshore wind energy by 2030, aligning it with other energy development planning processes
• This move is expected to drive significant investment in the renewable energy sector and support high-skilled jobs

💬 One quote: "British onshore wind is one of the cheapest forms of energy available so the ban had in effect been pushing up bills," says Jess Ralston, head of energy at the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU)

📈 One stat: A study found that using less than 3% of England’s land for onshore wind and solar could produce enough energy to power every English household more than twice over

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