**UK Government Unveils Onshore Wind Strategy to Boost Job Growth and Energy Security**
The UK government has introduced its inaugural Onshore Wind Strategy, targeting a reversal of nearly a decade of stagnation in the sector and a significant enhancement of its clean energy objectives. This initiative, part of the broader “Plan for Change,” proposes more than 40 actions to stimulate development, potentially generating up to 45,000 jobs by 2030 and unlocking 27–29 GW of onshore wind capacity.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks highlighted the benefits of onshore wind, describing it as an affordable, rapidly deployable technology that supports skilled employment and provides clean energy directly to host communities.
**Strategic Actions**
Key measures include unlocking 10 GW by addressing conflicts between turbines and aerospace systems, repowering ageing turbines to extend clean energy generation, and equipping planners and developers with improved tools and faster assessments. The strategy also seeks to restore planning parity, putting onshore wind on an equal footing with offshore wind and nuclear projects for infrastructure approvals.
The strategy empowers developers to expedite construction, now that onshore wind is part of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime. Matthieu Hue, Co-Chair of the Onshore Wind Taskforce, emphasised the focus on overcoming barriers while capturing socio-economic benefits for local economies and the environment.
**Community Benefits**
The government is updating its voluntary community benefits guidance for England, offering £5,000 per megawatt per year to communities near wind projects. This funding could support local initiatives such as libraries, sports facilities, and bill discount schemes. Achieving the upper target of 29 GW by 2030 could unlock £70 million annually for rural communities.
James Robottom, Head of Onshore Wind Delivery at RenewableUK, noted that the strategy’s ambitious target to nearly double the UK’s onshore wind capacity by the decade’s end will boost investor and developer confidence, attracting significant private investment.
**Industry and Environmental Coordination**
The plan underscores collaboration with stakeholders like Historic England to ensure heritage protection during infrastructure rollout. Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, welcomed the recognition of their role in the strategy.
Additionally, the government has completed a Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme to de-risk offshore wind projects, guiding The Crown Estate’s seabed strategies and ensuring alignment across marine industries and environmental protection.
**Labour and Skills Challenges**
Despite widespread approval, concerns remain about rebuilding the workforce after a nine-year policy freeze. Sue Ferns, Senior Deputy General Secretary of Prospect, highlighted the need to address workforce and skills challenges resulting from the previous government’s ban, emphasising the importance of creating good, unionised jobs in renewables like onshore wind.
The Onshore Wind Strategy represents a pivotal shift in the UK’s renewable energy landscape, aiming to make wind power a cornerstone of energy security, job creation, and local economic revitalisation.
