The U.K.'s commitment to renewable energy has reached a new milestone, as plans for the largest onshore wind farm in England were officially submitted in November, the Guardian reported.
This ambitious project signals a major step in the country's transition to clean energy and promises significant environmental and economic benefits to local communities.
The proposed wind farm, developed by Cubico Sustainable Investments, will be located at Scout Moor, just north of Manchester.
The project involves the addition of 21 powerful new turbines alongside an existing wind farm, bringing the site's total power generation capacity to over 100 megawatts. This increase will generate enough clean energy to power 100,000 homes, helping to meet the U.K. government's target of doubling onshore wind capacity by 2030.
This project is a key component of the U.K.'s broader energy strategy to create a zero-carbon electricity system by the 2030s, with additional goals to triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind capacity. The new turbines will be more efficient and capable of generating more energy than those at other onshore wind farms.
The project is particularly significant given that plans for the site were put on hold 10 years ago due to opposition against onshore wind farms. The political landscape has since changed, with the Labour government lifting a de facto ban on new onshore wind developments, paving the way for projects like Scout Moor to move forward.
"It was obvious that there was going to be pressure to change the rules," David Swindin, Cubico's chief executive, told the Guardian. "So we have been eagerly waiting for the moment that we can press the button."
The wind farm's location is ideal, with high wind speeds and its proximity to Greater Manchester meaning the energy can be delivered efficiently without the need for costly grid upgrades.
Peter Rowe, the project's development manager, explained to the Guardian: "The site itself has been used in the past for mining and quarrying, and the area has been at the heart of Britain's industrial story. So, what we're putting forward is a modern reinterpretation of how the moors and uplands have been used historically."
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The expansion of onshore wind capacity will not only support the U.K.'s energy independence but also help reduce air pollution and the warming of the planet caused by burning dirty energy.
With its promising environmental and economic impact, the Scout Moor wind farm is an exciting example of how the U.K. is transitioning to a greener, more sustainable energy future.
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