Onshore Wind: Get Ahead of the Curve

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Written by: Phil Davis, Managing Director at Renewables First and specialist in hydropower, wind power and solar power system design.
Reviewed by the Renewables First engineering team for technical accuracy.

Are you a large consumer of electricity that needs to make the switch to renewables? There has never been a better time to act. With changes to the planning process of wind turbines imminent, starting your wind turbine assessment today could be your smartest move yet.

The approval process for wind turbine installations in England is about to become much easier and to beat the rush you need to start your investigation process today. Since the government announced its reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) back in July 2024 Renewables First have already seen an uptick in the number of wind power projects with a doubling of enquiries month-on-month.

The new UK government is committed to doubling onshore wind energy by 2030 and has already removed the 2015 de facto ban. Onshore wind developments will now be treated like other energy projects in the NPPF, removing the impossibly restrictive tests previously required for approval.

Changes to the NPPF were released for consultation at the end of July 2024. The submission deadline is the 24th September after which there will be a review of the feedback and the final draft submitted to parliament for approval. It is expected that this should be implemented late October or early November and should provide a more supportive planning framework for onshore wind turbines.

This could be a real case of “the early bird catches the worm” as any other wind turbine sites close to you that submit a planning application more quickly will get an advantage and may scupper your aspirations. Act now as waiting for the new policy to be implemented maybe too late.

Act Now – Contact Renewables First!

Further enhancements supporting renewable energy developments are expected to be announced as part of a revised National Policy Statement in the coming weeks and months. If you are interested more generally in renewable energy generation, Renewables First also provides whole-project capability in hydropower, windpower, solar PV, and heat pumps.

Phil Davis
Manging Director | Renewables First

About the Author
Phil has worked in the renewables sector since 2001 and founded Hydro Generation, which became Renewables First in 2009.

A qualified mechanical engineer (BEng, MSc Renewable Energy Systems), Phil is a recognised expert in hydropower, wind and solar PV across all project stages.

View all posts by Phil

Are you considering a low carbon renewable energy project?

If you are interested more generally in renewable energy generation, Renewables First also provides whole-project capability in hydropower, windpower and heat pumps.

You can also visit our Net-zero page to learn more about how we work with companies to identify the energy generation potential of their site to reduce their carbon emissions.