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UK Govt pushes nukes, downplays renewables

Nuclear gets fast-track, but renewables left with little The Ecologist Tom Levitt11th November, 2009 New Government planning rules will shorten the approval process for big power projects like nuclear plants, but do little for the local renewables sector. The UK’s biggest energy projects will no longer have to negotiate the obstacles of local planning authorities, following announcements made this week.Instead, decisions will be made by an independent body, the Infrastructure and Planning Committee (IPC), which was this week given clear policy guidance from the Government about how to approach its future planning inquiries.Crucially, this includes a maximum one year time limit on decisions…………….

rather than opening the door to a new era of renewable energy in the UK it is chiefly expected to benefit nuclear power. Two new plants proposed by EDF energy at Hinkley Point in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk are already on the IPC’s list of initial schemes to consider when it officially opens for business in March 2010.

Wind : Although there are some wind farm projects on the list as well, industry and environmental groups say renewable energy projects will be largely unaffected by the planning rule changes.

The IPC will only look at energy projects with a generating capacity of over 50 megawatts (MW) onshore and 100MW offshore.

But, say the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) and others, with nearly all onshore wind projects under that threshold, much of the renewable energy sector will be left facing the same planning difficulties as before…………..

Decentralised energy

The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) has said it is concerned that fast-tracking planning rules for big energy projects like nuclear power is keeping the focus on ‘big-box’ national grid energy generation when what the UK needs is to start moving towards a decentralised energy system.

‘By investing in big box grid rather than local energy, you are fixing us in to something considerably less efficient for another generation,’ said SDC chair Will Day.

Friends of the Earth agreed.

‘They [the Government] have underestimated the potential of under 50MW electricity generation and of the contribution decentralised energy could make to the de-carbonising of the grid,’ said planning coordinator Naomi Luhde-Thompson.

‘The planning system needs urgent reform to enable this country to develop a low-carbon economy,’ she added.

Friends of the Earth also criticised the lack of carbon accountability in the remit of the Government’s new planning body.

News – Nuclear gets fast-track, but renewables left with little – The Ecologist

November 12, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, renewable, UK | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, renewables