HC Deb 29 October 2003 vol 412 cc137-44WH 4.12 pm
Mr. Robert Walter (North Dorset)

I am delighted to have the opportunity to introduce the debate on wind turbines in Dorset, and in particular in my constituency. I am grateful to the Speaker's Office for making this time available. I found out only yesterday that I had secured this slot because somebody else dropped out.

The topic is important, but when I speak about it, I am often accused of being a nimby. There are proposals on the table to erect up to 35 wind turbines, each more than 100 m tall, in the lower Winterborne valley in my constituency. The site is located between Blandford Forum and Dorchester and is very close to the villages of Winterborne Kingston, Winterborne Zelstone, Anderson and many other smaller settlements. The proposal worries constituents from all over my area. There is also a proposal to create a wind farm at Cucklington in Somerset, which is in the constituency of my neighbour, the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath), who is present today. That would have a significant impact on villages in my constituency, and in the general area of the Blackmoor vale, which runs through both of our constituencies. Villagers in my constituency including residents of Buckhorn Weston, Kington Magna, Stour Provost, Silton and Bourton are concerned about the development.

I am not a nimby. I am not against shopping centres or car factories; I just do not think that they should be built in the lower Winterborne valley, and I do not want wind turbines, those industrial monsters, coming into the Winterborne valley either. They have their place, but it is not in this most beautiful part of England. In our area of southern England we have a national park, the Dorset heritage coast and several areas of outstanding natural beauty, and the sites chosen for the development are the filling in the sandwich between those areas, which is one of the reasons why some of them have been chosen. The arguments would be just as strong and the issues would be the same if we were considering an area of outstanding natural beauty or a national park.

The Government's 2003 energy White Paper spells out good reasons for and sensible methods of reducing the environmental pollution arising from electricity generation. It encourages us to reduce consumption, increase conservation and equipment efficiency, clean up dirty processes and turn towards renewable sources in an attempt to secure a 60 per cent. reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. However, it appears to be obsessed by the technology of onshore wind power, which, although well established and relatively cheap, is still subsidised through the renewables obligation. It is by far the most controversial source of energy, because of the impact of massive numbers of ever larger turbines on the British countryside, which apart from being home to millions, is a priceless, high-quality asset. It is also, particularly in Dorset, home to an international tourist industry.

To date across Britain there are already about 1,000 wind turbines, which disfigure some of our finest landscapes to meet less than 0.5 per cent. of our energy needs, and even that capacity has to be backed up by conventional sources ready to be brought on line when the wind fails to blow—often in the coldest winter weather when demand is at its greatest. There are proposals for turbines of unprecedented size—more than 100 m in height—which, because they reach for stronger winds further from the ground, are to be targeted in areas previously said to be insufficiently windy, as is true of the sites in Dorset and Somerset.

The Government's UK all-renewables target for 2010 is to increase output from the present 3 per cent.—nearly all of which comes from hydroelectric schemes in Scotland—to something like 10 per cent. In July, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced the round 2 offshore wind initiative, which will produce half that total, leaving only 2 per cent. to come in seven years from all other sources. That includes existing consents and the many other rising technologies, such as marine currents, solar and biomass.

That being so, I believe it is unacceptable that the consultation draft of planning policy statement 22 on renewable energy in England is forecast to dismantle protection for the buffer zones around nationally designated areas, and to instruct planning authorities to assemble ambitious and irreparably damaging target scenarios for thousands of immense wind turbines. The largest projects will be propelled to consent outside the democratic planning system by the Department of Trade and Industry-controlled Electricity Act 1989. That will lead to the destruction by Government decree of our finest countryside for no reason other than the appeasement of the onshore wind power industry and the establishment of green tokenism by a Government. That is deeply offensive to all lovers of the countryside.

The Minister for Energy, E-Commerce and Postal Services, on a week-long tour of the country examining renewable energy, yesterday issued a press release in which he said: We have placed the environment at the heart of energy policy. He added that we all now understand better our impact on the natural environment, and spoke of climate change and its effects, but he ignored the visual impact of these developments. In its policy position statement issued last month, the Campaign to Protect Rural England stated: The English countryside will not be immune from the damage done by global climate change caused by excess greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere … Unlike conventional fossil fuel power stations, wind turbines can generate electricity without producing carbon dioxide. It went on to say: CPRE believes there is a role for wind energy in providing electricity in the UK, but their intermittency and major visual impact limit the potential contribution of onshore turbines. Their location and extent need to be carefully controlled. The CPRE concluded: At sea, wind turbines can operate at higher efficiency and will have reduced impact on cherished scenery. But we cannot rely on wind power alone to provide for our energy needs. There needs to be much more investment in harnessing a range of more predictable and reliable sources of renewable energy, such as the tides. The issue does not just affect the UK. In a policy statement issued in February, the International Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers said about renewable energy in the EU: IFIEC welcomes the attention being given to renewable energy technologies, which should have a role in Europe's future energy supply options. It is important, though, to keep a balance between technological progress, security of supply and environmental protection issues. It highlighted some special aspects of the promotion of wind power that are relevant to the case I am raising by stating: It must not be forgotten that wind power has an important limitation. The usage of the installed capacity is highly unstable and insecure being totally dependent on wind conditions at any given time. Thus, the average volume of power generated from wind farms is far less than the design capacity. The IFIEC added that the uncertainty associated with wind generated power means additional costs", because installed wind power capacity can not replace any other installed capacity. Due to the insecure generation volume, it is always necessary to back it up with reserve generation capacity. This means dual investment in generation capacities"— the "other installed capacity" being, possibly, carbon fuels. Other reasons for the additional costs were that "grid capacity has to be installed for the potential maximum load", even though that will "hardly ever" be achieved, and that the decentralised locations of wind farms leads to inefficient investments". The IFIEC concluded: All these mean additional costs for the electricity utilities and grid operators, which are then passed to the consumers through the electricity price.

I have several questions for the Minister about the developments in Dorset. Wind turbines operate for only 28 to 30 per cent. of the time, so there has to be back-up capacity to meet the grid's needs for the remaining 70 to 72 per cent. of the time. Do the Government agree with that statement? If so, what is the most suitable method of generating electricity to fill that gap? How much does the provision of back-up power for the remaining 70 to 72 per cent. of the time reduce the environmental benefits of using wind power? What is the level of subsidy to electricity generated by wind turbines, taking into account the guarantee of access to the grid and the need to meet the cost of keeping back-up capacity?

Do the Government support the position that, under the Electricity Act 1989, the big wind turbine companies are entitled to bypass local planning authorities if the theoretical maximum generating capacity of a group of turbines exceeds 50 MW? Is not the true capacity of such a group 28 to 30 per cent. of that theoretical maximum? In the event that the Government consider it in order to bypass local planning authorities, how can groups comprising substantial numbers of my constituents appeal against either a decision in my local case, or any Government decision to grant planning permission under the 1989 Act? I make no excuse for telling the Minister that several groups work in and around my constituency; for example, Dorset Against Rural Turbines, of which I am the honorary chairman, and Save the Vale, in the north of my constituency.

Mr. David Heath (Somerton and Frome)

The hon. Gentleman has spoken about Save the Vale, which extends into my constituency, covering Cucklington, Stoke Trister, Pen Selwood and other villages in the Blackmoor vale in Somerset. Does he agree that whatever the merits of wind turbines—I actually think that there are many—they cannot override normal planning considerations of landscape value? Would it not be better to have a national and a local strategy for identifying the right sites in planning and landscape terms than to leave such decisions to an opportunistic and adventitious application process?

Mr. Walter

I agree with the sentiments the hon. Gentleman expresses. He is absolutely right to say that local people should have a say in the matter, and the process should not just be negative. Some positive strategy should come either directly from central Government or through the regional offices. Sadly, that seems to be lacking at present.

Finally, can the Minister tell me how wind turbines are perceived in other European countries, particularly in Germany and in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries, which appear to have halted their development?

Government policy on renewable energy, including the carbon emissions reduction targets that we discussed, is to be applauded in principle. However, in practice, through the choice of onshore wind turbines in unsuitable locations as a quick and easy option, that policy is causing utter mayhem by creating an artificial race, by distorting the marketplace and by destroying the countryside and entire communities' amenity value. There have been high-profile examples in Cumbria, and now in my own constituency, with the largest ever applications from National Wind Power and Your Energy for 32 turbines more than 100 m high.

There are significant weaknesses in the Government's policy, including false savings in carbon emissions; wind variations causing onshore wind turbines to work for less than 30 per cent. of the time, thereby requiring back-up capacity and resulting in no savings in CO2 emissions; liabilities to the taxpayer and consumer in cost and capital grants; and, most particularly, concerns about the preservation of the countryside and about community well-being. Increasing use of inland and lowland sites ruins the vanishing countryside and seriously affects the well-being of many communities in Dorset and elsewhere.

If wind turbines have to be used, they should be put offshore, as recently announced in a major Government policy initiative. We should aim to reduce excessive consumption through better education and greater awareness, and revise or delay the targets that have been set in order to allow more time, as the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome suggested, for a comprehensive approach that uses other energy technologies that are coming on stream, such as biofuels, biomass, tidal, wave and solar.

4.28 pm
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Nigel Griffiths)

I congratulate the hon. Member for North Dorset (Mr. Walter) on securing this debate. He has a strong interest in the issue in his capacity as the chairman of Dorset Against Rural Turbines. As he generously revealed, my hon. Friend the Minister for Energy, E-Commerce and Postal Services is unable to be here because he is going round Britain promoting renewable energy strategies.

I welcome the hon. Gentleman's very strong support for the principles of the Government's policy on renewable energy. Renewable energy is at the heart of the Government's energy policy. The White Paper "Our energy future—creating a low carbon economy" reinforces our commitment to renewable forms of energy. The Government have set four energy goals: to put ourselves on a path to cut the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. by 2050; to maintain the reliability of energy supplies; to promote competitive energy markets in the UK and beyond; and to ensure that every home is adequately and affordably heated.

Renewable forms of energy will contribute to the achievement of all those objectives, in particular the reduction in carbon emissions, and to assuring future security of energy supply by diversifying the sources of electricity on which we can rely. They will also create new businesses and jobs, not only in energy generation, but in component construction and support services. In our White Paper, the Government confirmed our target of 10 per cent. of UK electricity being supplied from renewable sources by 2010, and set the aspiration to double that share to 20 per cent. by 2020. The main vehicle for reaching the target is the renewables obligation, under which electricity suppliers are required to supply a specified and growing proportion of their sales from eligible renewable energy sources. In addition, the Government are to spend nearly £350 million over the next four years supporting renewables that are not yet commercially competitive.

The 10 per cent. target is ambitious because we are starting from a low base. In 2002, only 1.7 per cent. of the UK's electricity was generated from renewable sources eligible for the renewables obligation. However, we are doing all we can to meet the target. Both onshore and offshore wind development will be critical to achieving that. Onshore wind power generation is an established technology and will make a major early contribution, while offshore wind developments are a growing industry with a vast potential. While I note the hon. Gentleman's preference for wind farms to be located offshore, both offshore and onshore wind developments are needed to form a balanced and significant input to the targets of 2010 and beyond.

We expect that wind energy will provide the vast majority of the growth necessary to reach our 2010 target, and will make the largest contribution to it. Our total wind capacity is close to 600 MW, while other projects together offering more than 1.25 GW capacity have received consent, and there are more in the pipeline. Achievement of the 2010 target would mean that UK wind-generating capacity could power one in six households.

The hon. Gentleman raises the subject of wind turbines proposed for the Winterborne area of north Dorset. My Department is aware of a proposal by National Wind Power Ltd. to apply for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct and operate 23 wind turbines at Muston Down with a combined capacity of about 65 MW. It is also aware of a smaller scheme proposed by Your Energy for a wind farm comprising 11 turbines at Lower Winterborne and the possibility of another smaller one in the same broad area. Those will require permission under the normal planning regime. I understand that the Lower Winterborne proposal is being considered by the local planning authority.

Let me set out the procedure for proposals for power stations with capacity greater than 50 MW. Such proposals are considered by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. When granting such a consent, the Secretary of State can direct that planning permission be deemed to be granted under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. National Wind Power has not yet submitted an application for consent to build a wind farm at Winterborne. In the event of a relevant local planning authority objecting to an application, the Secretary of State has a statutory obligation to call for a public inquiry into the application to be held. In considering an application, the Secretary of State takes into account the environmental impact, the views of the local community—including the relevant local planning authority and individuals—and the advice of statutory bodies such as the Environment Agency, the relevant countryside and nature conservation bodies, and heritage bodies.

In view of the possibility of other proposals neighbouring the one proposed by National Wind Power, the Department of Trade and Industry has requested that the environmental impact assessment statement, which accompanies the application, should consider the cumulative impact of all proposals in the vicinity. As the hon. Gentleman will appreciate, until an application is made and the views of those commenting on it are considered, I cannot say what decision will be taken. Likewise, it would be inappropriate of me to comment on those proposals in detail. The only assurance I can give him and his constituents is that their views, together with all other interests that arise in relation to development proposals, will be fully considered before any decision on an application is taken.

The Government are concerned about the landscape of Britain—it is in no one's interest to spoil it. Although we want to increase the use of renewable energy installations to reach our renewable energy target, that does not mean that we want development to take place where it would be inappropriate. The Government provide guidance to local planning authorities to help them to assess proposed wind farms and other such installations. That is included in planning policy guidance note 22 on renewable energy. That guidance will be updated, and the new guidance, called planning policy statement 22, is due to be published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as a consultation paper in early November. It will reflect the advances made in wind energy since the current guidance was published, and it will incorporate wider Government policies on energy, specifically carbon reduction. Similar legislation exists for Scotland and Wales, and all the guidelines clearly state that visual and other impacts should be considered in the siting of wind turbines.

Wind farm developers are required to consider all environmental aspects of wind energy projects, including those raised by the hon. Gentleman. Most small wind farms, and all large wind farms, are required to produce an environmental impact assessment, which covers all the issues as part of the application for planning permission. The environmental impact statements produced as a result of those assessments are available to the public. Landscape architects are often consulted on the layout of wind farms, and they aim to ensure that the farms seem coherent and do not appear cluttered in the landscape. They consider the effect of the turbines against the skyline and from important viewpoints or beauty spots.

It has been suggested that the benefits of onshore wind farms are dubious, but I am advised that that is far from true. There are more than 80 onshore wind farms in the UK and together they provide enough electricity to power almost 400,000 homes. That is a useful contribution to our energy supplies. It is true that the electricity produced from wind power is more intermittent than electricity from power stations that run continuously. On average, an onshore wind turbine has a load factor of about 30 per cent., while the figure is a little higher offshore. That intermittency has implications for the design and operation of the electricity network, but we should keep a sense of proportion. Wind farms in the UK are geographically dispersed throughout the country and tend to be located in areas with a high wind resource. That dispersion significantly reduces the intermittency factor of wind-driven generation, since it minimises the possibility of all wind farms failing to generate electricity at the same time.

It should also be remembered that traditional generating plants, such as gas or nuclear, undergo occasional shutdowns for essential maintenance. That type of generating loss is more difficult to cope with than the intermittency of wind, because the amounts of electricity involved are typically of a greater magnitude. When the effect of that type of shutdown is compared with the intermittency of dispersed wind farms, the variation in output from wind generation is minimal. Furthermore, key research is continuing into storage technologies that will support intermittent generation and provide power to the network when conditions are less favourable, as will hybrid generation plants. Such developments will improve the overall performance of wind generation and limit the reserve necessary to maintain electricity supply in the event of either the accidental loss of a generating unit, or higher than expected demand.

As the proportion of intermittent generation increases, the cost of maintaining stable supplies also increases. We accept that those costs need to be managed in new ways, and we are already funding research into that through the DTI's renewable energy programme and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's sustainable power generation and supply, or SUPERGEN, programme. As part of our current capital grant programme, in 2002 we allocated an additional £4 million to facilitate the demonstration of new control, storage and metering technologies.

It is important to address the concerns that have been raised regarding public attitudes towards renewable energy, including wind farms. The DTI commissioned research into public attitudes towards renewables, and the findings are broadly encouraging. Overall many people have favourable views on renewable energy, and the vast majority feel that the Government should promote its use. Those who are more knowledgeable tend to be more positive. Although the research identified a number of concerns about visual impact and impact from noise, it is interesting that those who currently live in the vicinity of a wind farm tend to be more positive than the general public.

We have concentrated on onshore wind energy this afternoon. As I said at the outset, we expect the bulk of the increase in renewable energy capacity to be from wind power. It is also important to say a little about developments offshore. In July, the DTI invited the Crown Estate to offer sites in the Thames estuary, the greater Wash and the north-west to developers in a competitive bidding process. The deadline for submitting proposals was 15 October, and the bids are now being assessed. I am pleased to have been informed that the initial indications from developers are promising. In the meantime, the projects resulting from the first round of offshore licensing are moving ahead.

I mentioned my hon. Friend the Minister for Energy's renewables tour. On Monday he visited North Hoyle, off the coast of north Wales, where the first major UK offshore wind farm will come onstream next month. Last week, he announced that four more offshore wind farms have received planning consent: those are at Lynn, Inner Dowsing, Cromer and Gunfleet Sands, all of which are off the east coast of England. Yesterday, at the British Wind Energy Association annual conference, he announced the award of six capital grants, totalling £59 million, to developers of offshore wind.

We should not, however, ignore the potential of other renewable sources to make their contribution, particularly in the longer term beyond 2010. The Government therefore support a wide range of renewable technologies, including biomass, solar photovoltaics, and wave and tidal energy, through the renewables obligation, our capital grants and the research and development programmes—

It being eighteen minutes to Five o'clock, the motion for the Adjournment of the sitting lapsed, without Question put.