The UK’s total pipeline of onshore wind projects has risen to almost 33GW, up from 30GW 12 months ago, according to new research from RenewableUK.
The figure – published in the latest ‘Onshore Wind Project Intelligence’ report – covers projects that are operating, under construction, consented or being planned in the country, R-UK said.
The trade body said that if every project in the current pipeline were to go ahead, the UK would reach 30GW by 2030, more than double the UK’s current operational capacity of 13.9GW.
R-UK chief executive Dan McGrail said: “The government’s new Net Zero Strategy specifically calls for more onshore wind to be installed in the 2020s and beyond, to help to enable the UK to be powered entirely by clean electricity by 2035.
“As our latest Onshore Wind Project Intelligence report shows, we have a pipeline of projects which can help the UK to reach net zero as fast as possible – and at the lowest cost to consumers, as this is one of the cheapest ways to generate new power.
“But to achieve this we need planning systems in place in all four UK nations which reflect the consistently high level of public support for this technology and allow projects to go ahead where they have a majority of local support.
“This must include encouraging the repowering of older onshore wind projects as they reach the end of their lifespan with taller, even more efficient turbines.
“At the moment, less than half the annual onshore wind capacity we need to stay on track to meet our climate change targets is being consented.
“In December, onshore wind will be competing for contracts to generate clean power for the first time in five years.
“To maximise job creation and investment, we need to move from holding auctions every two years to annual auctions, framed by a government target to 30GW of onshore wind by 2030.
“Doing this would show great leadership in tackling climate change at a time when the UK has an unprecedented international platform at COP26.”