Turning energy policy into the war over wind
Rumours of a mysterious report on windfarms’ impact on rural economies reignited media claims of rows between the Lib Dems and Conservatives about green energy – notably wind power.
As the Conservative party conference gets into its stride, we look at how coverage of the study illustrates the UK’s increasingly polarised energy debate. In particular, how have the efforts of the Telegraph, and some politicians, refocused general energy policy discussions into a war about windfarms?
Windfarms and house prices
Last month the Daily Telegraph splashed with the news that the Conservative environment minister, Owen Paterson, had commissioned an investigation of windfarms’ impact on house prices.
The piece claimed the report hadn’t seen the light of day because Ed Davey’s Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was blocking its publication.
In response, Ed Davey – a Liberal Democrat – said that he had stepped in, claiming Paterson was plotting to produce a “partial” report biased against renewable energy. Davey said he blocked Paterson’s study because the evidence was “not high quality”.
Not for the first time, the dispute prompted a series of articles in Daily Telegraph about ” ministers at war” over windfarms.
Political spin?
It appears that there is a report, but it was never intended to focus solely on wind turbines’ effect on house prices.
According to environment and energy journal ENDS, the report from Paterson’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was originally intended to interrogate the impact of a wide variety of different energy technologies on house prices. This included:
“…onshore and offshore wind, anaerobic digestion plants, overhead power lines, ‘shale gas mining infrastructure’, coal, gas, nuclear and biomass power stations, and coal mines”.
Defra’s contribution was then meant to feed into a wider report by DECC into the “impacts of electricity infrastructure on rural areas”, ENDS says.
It now seems DECC has stepped in to work on the other department’s submission, too. Although they wouldn’t officially confirm what the final report would focus on, DECC and Defra confirmed to Carbon Brief last week that they are now working on the study together “to ensure that it meets the usual standards and quality assurances that you would expect from any government publication”.
The Telegraph seems to be reporting events the other way round, however. After reporting that ministers were at war over ” secret wind farm evidence”, the paper claims:
“As a result of the intervention by Mr Davey, the study will now look at the impact of all renewable energy sources on the rural economy, including fracking”.
The role of the media
Disputes over windfarms have become an iconic part of the energy debate – and the rural economy report isn’t the only piece of energy policy wonkery attracting attention as a result.
The Daily Telegraph has also highlighted political splits over recently issued planning guidance.
According to the newspaper, DECC also tried to ” derail” planning reforms by the Conservative communities minister, Eric Pickles. Pickles had claimed his reforms would allow communities to block wind developments near them.
It turns out that – just like Defra’s house prices report – the guidance did not single out windfarms. In fact, it applies to all future renewable energy developments.
Legal expert, Nigel Hewitson, told Carbon Brief the guidance makes little difference to existing planning legislation. He described the idea that communities are suddenly going to be able to say no to windfarms as “political spin”.
The politics of energy
Just over a year ago, the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives were rowing about subsidies for wind farms, according to media coverage. Now, a combination of comments by politicians and media reports has shifted the focus toward windfarms’ place in the planning regime.
The outcome is the same, however: Wind isn’t just part of the energy mix, it’s become a wedge issue in party politics.
At Liberal Democrat party conference a few weeks ago, Davey accused Tories of trying to ” destroy” UK renewables industry – and made a particular point of criticising Paterson, saying he is trying to “cull” wind turbines.
Highlighting the arguments gives Liberal Democrats the opportunity to differentiate themselves from the Conservatives – and Conservatives the opportunity to play to a part of its supporter base that’s opposed to green energy. It works for the Daily Telegraph – which is strongly opposed to windfarms – too.
But as the headlines, briefings and counter-briefings roll on, delays – as we’re seeing with the house prices report – are inevitable. It may all be good politics for the parties, and good copy in the papers, but it’s likely to make designing a working energy policy much slower.