The departure of Chris Huhne on Friday has prompted calls from a number of Conservative back benchers for a dramatic cut in Government subsidies for wind energy projects, and for new planning powers to make it easier for residents to object to new onshore wind-farms.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and new Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey both attended an event yesterday with the Deputy Prime Minister confirming his support for wind energy, defending subsidies to help renewable energy compete with fossil fuels. This has however, highlighted what appears to be a growing split in the coaltion over energy policy.
Nick Clegg also stated that the savviest states understood that going for growth meant going ‘green’, with low-carbon markets being the next hurdle in the race to be the number one country in global excellence. Ed Davey meanwhile, stated that he was a lifelong supporter of renewable and wind power, with onshore and offshore wind power having a real place in a balanced mix of energy generation.