If you had only read the headline and the opening paragraph of an interview I did with The Times recently “Windfarm owner quits over political interference” (Tuesday 25th November), you may get the impression that Ecotricity is giving up on England.
It’s not quite what it appears. I’m happy to say.
We’ve had a policy in place for some 12 months now, to stop finding and submitting new wind sites into planning in England and instead to focus our efforts on Scotland – for the reasons set out in the article, it’s become very difficult in England, to the point that we were wasting time and money to a degree we could no longer accept.
So we’ve adapted our approach and it makes sense to do so. The goal posts keep moving and the government has clearly set itself against onshore wind.
There’s an election coming and hopefully we’ll get a new government that’s in favour of renewable energy in England. We have that in Scotland already of course.
Until that happens the best use of our time and other resources is to avoid England, where even when you win a public enquiry after four years work, some politician comes along and overturns that – for short term political expediency. We still hope the courts will overturn one of Mr Pickles latest interventions in the planning process.
Meanwhile, we have 6 projects still in planning in England. And another 6 consented and ready to build – which will add 70MW to our total green energy generating capacity – doubling it. So it’s not like we won’t be busy in England for a while. But we’ll hold back from new site work until the political climate improves.
We’re pushing ahead with our Sun Park work though, with one to be built shortly and several to go to planning.
And, of course, we are still based in Gloucestershire, where we have doubled staff numbers over the past two years and are a big part of the local community.
Cheers
Hi Dale.
You haven’t mentioned Wales. Surely there must be loads of opportunities available to you here?
Jonathan.
Yes, “short term political expediency” is when 99% of politicians give the other 1% a bad name! B^>
Someone was just having a go at Ed Davey on Twitter about the watering down of CSH for new build; I wonder if there might be a common theme, with short term popularity and long term costs?
Rgds
Damon
Maybe you should switch to our 250kW hydroponic buildings powered by solar, grow 2,000 acres in half an acre building, ideal for superfoods.
Dual income to eliviate and offset any nasty government interference and changes.
Vertical allotments and mainstream superfood products without the airmiles and zero carbon.
Last planning in five weeks with the comment from the council that this could be the saviour of growing in the UK.
Steve
Excellent work. keep it up. I wouldn’t worry too much about short term politics. Any business has to change and adapt as they grow. With the rise of UKIP its hardly surprising the conservatives have to be seen to be matching their right wing policies.
They have indicated that offshore wind is still a priority in England so its not all doom and gloom for renewables, I just don’t think the economics of offshore stack up yet unless you are a billion pound investment company.
Also it might be worth looking at some acquisitions of other companies that already own wind farm assets or hold planning permission.
Thanks to the way you have structured yourselves it is great you can ride-out this political storm. I do worry other wind companies may not, if that happens would you bring them into the family as you did with the turbine manufacturer?
I wonder if Mr Pickles will be putting the skids under fracking planning applications that are going to be very unpopular with local voters? That’ll be fun to watch. 🙂
Wow very powerful