Boris Johnson’s plans for new domestic power production were in disarray today as ministers openly clashed over whether to build new windfarms in the countryside.
Boris Johnson is expected to include a large expansion of wind and nuclear power when he unveils his much delayed energy strategy this week, designed to reduce dependence on foreign oil and gas.
But the while the plans focus mainly on wind farms in the sea, the plans are expected to include measures to increase production on land.
On Saturday, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng suggested capacity could double to 30GW by 2030.
But the PM faces strong opposition to the plan from shire Tories, which could instead see the majority of turbines built in more remote areas like the Scottish Highlands.
No 10 distanced itself from a massive expansion in onshore wind, saying any expansion would require ‘community consent’.
And Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today said he was opposed to them – suggesting he would rather have a new nuclear reactor in his Hertfordshire constituency.
Asked if planning laws should be relaxed to allow for more onshore wind, he told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: ‘I don’t favour a vast increase in onshore wind farms, for pretty obvious reasons – they sit on the hills there and can create something of an eyesore for communities as well as actual problems of noise as well.
‘So I think for reasons of environmental protection, the way to go with this is largely, not entirely, but largely off-sea.’
