The energy sector is very used to a “not in my back yard” (nimby) backlash from communities opposing new projects, following decades of protests worldwide against fossil fuel and renewable energy developments. Now, the nimby response in the U.K. is threatening the country’s green transition, as residents countrywide strongly oppose new wind and solar energy projects due to the proximity to their houses. The new Labour government will have to battle with communities across the U.K. if they hope to get new green energy projects off the ground and stick to their climate pledges.
A recent report from the British think tank Resolution Foundation suggests that the new Labour government will likely face difficulties in pursuing new renewable energy projects across the U.K. as it tackles resistance from local groups. Some of the projects in question include new solar farms, battery storage, and onshore wind turbines, which many worry will ruin the landscape or cause noise pollution.
A large proportion of green energy projects are earmarked for wealthier areas of the U.K., with two-thirds of proposed solar projects planned for the richest 40 percent of neighbourhoods. Jonny Marshall, a senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, explained, “Doing this effectively will require overcoming opposition to development from net-zero nimbys, who often live in wealthier parts of the country.” Marshall added, “The government must be prepared to win these battles, which won’t be popular with some voters but are vital for the country as a whole.”
To avoid years of delay during a pivotal period in the U.K.’s green transition, which could make or break its climate goals, the government will likely have to change its approach to new green energy projects by making decisions at the state rather than local level. The government may also introduce financial incentives to local communities opposing new energy projects to encourage support.
In his first month as Prime Minister, Kier Starmer lifted a de facto ban on new onshore wind farms, which is expected to encourage greater private investment in wind energy in the coming years. However, the government is already seeing early opposition to new green energy projects. A Conservative politician spoke out against plans for Sunnica's $774.5 million solar farm in the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk region, following approval by Labour's Energy Minister Ed Miliband. This suggests that Labour will likely experience further opposition as it approves green energy projects, despite many Brits supposedly supporting net-zero aims.
Plans for the projects had been repeatedly delayed under the Conservative government, in the lead-up to the recent general election. Miliband responded to the opposition by stating, “We will make tough decisions with ambition and urgency - all part of our plan to make the U.K. a clean energy superpower.” The solar farm is expected to power 172,000 homes and create 1,500 jobs during construction and 27 full-time positions once up and running.
So far, the government has dismissed advice from its own planning inspectorate, as well as opposition from local groups, in favour of new solar farms. Miliband has already approved two of the U.K.’s biggest solar farms to date explaining, “Some of these cases had been held up for months before I arrived in the department. They were put on my desk on Monday, and I’ve made a decision in three days.” The new projects are expected to, together, provide power for 400,000 homes.
Some of the most unlikely resistance in recent weeks came from the co-leader of the Green Party Adrian Ramsay, who voiced his opposition to the construction of new power lines to transport 50 GW of electricity from offshore windfarms. The project’s operator National Grid said that the new infrastructure was vital for supporting the government’s net-zero aims. During his first day at the House of Commons, Ramsay said that a “proper options assessment” should be carried out before the project goes ahead.
National Grid responded by saying that it had already assessed several alternative options and its policy is based around public consultations. The company added, “Delaying this vital infrastructure project would not only result in missing this target but also delay homes and businesses in East Anglia and beyond having access to cleaner and more affordable electricity in the long term.”
The recent opposition has not stopped Labour from rapidly pursuing an ambitious green energy campaign. A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero emphasised that the government was “wasting no time” making green energy decisions. They explained, “In just one week, we have swept away barriers to onshore wind farms, consented more solar power than has been installed in the past year and set out plans for a solar rooftop revolution.” The spokesperson added, “It is also important we listen to people’s concerns, and where communities host clean energy infrastructure, they should benefit directly from it.”
By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com
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