Why?

The physical footprint of an onshore wind farm is significantly smaller than the solar equivalent to deliver the same installed capacity. A number of developers have been quietly taking land under option for wind for a number of years in anticipation of this change and we expect some solar developers to begin to consider switching all or part of a potential solar scheme to wind to take advantage of the reduced land area requirement. Given the delays we are seeing to projects being able to connect to the grid, developers will also be exploring whether modifying their grid offer to onshore wind would allow a connection date to be brought forward.

A route towards integrated land use

The growth in competing land uses is well known and onshore wind can provide a more efficient means to achieving multi uses for the same block of farmland. Compared to solar farms where agricultural activity is limited to grazing sheep around the solar arrays, a turbine can be installed in areas of highly productive arable land – each turbine has an approximate footprint of 0.5 of an acre.

No quick fix for filling the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) void

It is true that onshore wind in England does present an opportunity for farming businesses to receive an income but they must understand the process from signing an agreement to operational turbines is a long one. Projects are still required to go through the planning process and the survey burden is higher for wind than solar. Putting this into context, it currently takes between seven and 10 years in Scotland for a project to navigate the consenting process.

Ultimately access to the grid will determine the success of a project. Approaches by developers should be thoroughly reviewed and understood before any agreement is signed. Careful drafting of agreements and close liaison with developers could see landowners able to explore other land uses while the project is being pursued. For example, in Scotland, we have seen forestry and peatland restoration take place.

What does the future look like?

Mass development of mega windfarms is unlikely. Compared to Scotland and Wales, the number of geographical locations in England where it is possible to build at scale is very limited once landscapes within environmental designations and the requirement for suitable buffers from residential properties are discounted. Also England is simply not as windy as Scotland or Wales. Far more likely is the development of smaller schemes of two or three turbines, which could not only supply power to the grid but also supply power direct to high energy users such as data centres, logistics and industrial hubs.

Further information

Contact Nick Green or Andrew Wraith

Political parties and climate policy