The UK Government’s consultation on whether to modify renewable energy subsidy regulations to allow the support to projects due to start between 2020 and 2026 closes today.
Although the UK Government has recently cut support for onshore wind and solar, it has indicated it will provide further support for offshore wind and potentially other “less established” technologies, RSPB explained as part of its statement calling for a renewed commitment by the UK Government and highlighting the need to boost investor confidence in the UK as a good place to do business for renewable energy.
RSPB said that, although it strongly resists renewable energy proposals where they are expected to have unacceptable wildlife impacts, it supports large-scale expansion of carefully-planned renewable energy across the UK, and does not object to over 90% of sites.
The organisation has called on the UK Government to invest in understanding the impacts of floating wind technology and overcoming any barriers to sustainable deployment, with a view to encouraging commercial-scale sites by the mid-2020s.
RSPB Senior Policy Officer, Melanie Coath said: “The RSPB is clear that continued Government support for carefully-planned renewable energy into the 2020s is critical to the UK’s long-term energy strategy. There is also an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of innovative technologies like floating wind turbines, if we seize the opportunity now, and make sure we invest in understanding the impacts of those technologies so they can be rolled out in harmony with nature.”