Security of wind turbines is an ‘illusion’, say opponents

A GOVERNMENT push for a new generation of onshore wind farms could make Britain even more reliant on gas, campaigners have claimed.

A report by Net Zero Watch, which scrutinises climate policies, states that turbines deliver “only an illusion” of energy security, because they require more reliable sources of power to act as a back-up for when there is insufficient wind to generate electricity.

“In reality the grid is entirely reliant for its security on the only thermodynamically superior fuel remaining, namely natural gas,” the paper states.

It comes after Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business and Energy Secretary, said that Britain needed a major “acceleration” in onshore turbines to guarantee energy supplies and reduce spiralling household bills. The Government has committed to reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

In an interview last week, Mr Kwarteng said public opposition that led to the spread of onshore wind farms being slowed by David Cameron in 2015 had “changed”, and suggested that planning rules could now be relaxed.

Dr John Constable, Net Zero Watch’s director of energy, and co-author of the paper, said: “In boosting onshore wind, Mr Kwarteng is either desperate and mistaken, or indulging in cynical gesture politics to cover up what he knows he absolutely must do, namely expand domestic natural gas supply and build new high-efficiency, combined-cycle gas turbines.

“Foolish government enthusiasm for low-quality generation such as wind is one of the main reasons we have an energy crisis. More wind won’t help,

‘Foolish government enthusiasm for low-quality generation is one reason why we have an energy crisis’

and in fact will make the gas dependency issue much worse.”

The Net Zero Watch paper called on the Government to “focus relentlessly” on replacing the older gas turbines with thermally efficient models and on increasing UK production of natural gas.

A government spokesman said: “Gas is expensive and renewables are cheap.

“By boosting cheap renewables and nuclear power, we will reduce our dependence on expensive fossil fuels and bring down costs for consumers. Our upcoming energy security strategy will supercharge our renewable energy and nuclear capacity as well as supporting our North Sea oil and gas industry.”