Boris Johnson calls for wind and nuclear ramp up ahead of energy strategy announcement
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed the UK’s new energy security strategy will expand domestic nuclear and offshore wind capacity – with the government looking to boost the country’s energy independence and bring down the cost of living in the future.
Johnson told LBC Radio: “We need to go big on nuclear in this country, we need to go much bigger on offshore wind. We can make sure that by investing in energy production, domestic energy production, independent energy production, we can have sustainable long-term suppliers that will bring down the costs for consumers over the long term.”
Johnson is expected to set out a new strategy by the end of the month on energy security after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent oil and gas prices soaring.
However, the speech has been delayed over recent weeks, with differences of opinion between Downing Street and The Treasury over the role of nuclear power.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has not yet signed off plans to boost nuclear power – amid concerns over rising costs involved in the UK’s energy strategy.
Meanwhile, the cabinet is also reportedly split over relaxing planning laws to boost wind farms, according to The Telegraph.
Currently, wind farms can only be developed if they are be included in local plans and approved by residents, following reforms made by former Prime Minister David Cameron in 2015.
Johnson is planning to reverse the measure, to make it less difficult for developers to ramp up onshore wind capacity in the UK.
Analysis from the University of the West of England reveals there has been a 98.5 per cent drop in the number of onshore wind turbine applications since 2015.
In the five years to the end of 2014, applications for 333 sites with almost 1,500 turbines were submitted to English local authorities.
From 2016 to 2021, however, the figure nosedived to just 14 sites with 23 turbines.
Meanwhile, the number of approved approved has dropped from 157 to 11 – with added capacity falling from 1,614 megawatts to 42 megawatts.
Ministers have instead focused on offshore wind, such as the world’s largest wind farm at Dogger Bank, with 86 GW of offshore energy