Plan for England's largest wind farm at Walshaw Moor 'scaled back'
The company first revealed the plans in 2023 and said the scheme would generate enough electricity to power more than 286,000 homes a year.However, environmental campaigners have said the development would disturb peat bogs on Walshaw Moor and release carbon into the atmosphere.The firm's spokesperson said: "We're pleased to be able share our updated proposals for Walshaw Moor and look forward to hearing from local people about our ambitions."Our latest plan includes up to 41 turbines - a reduction from 65. We have also removed the solar panel element from the design."Calderdale Energy Park presents a key opportunity to support the government's target to achieve at least 95% of low carbon energy generation by 2030."
'Suitable sites'
Large parts of Walshaw Moor are blanket bog and protected peatland.Sandra Rout, from campaign group Stop Calderdale Wind Farm, said: "Building wind farms on protected peatland, which is a natural carbon sink, is counterproductive - it will worsen the climate and nature crisis by releasing CO2."In addition to the turbines, this site would incorporate 22 miles (35 km) of access roads and a substation."She said the group feared the plans would lead to increased risk of flooding at Hebden Bridge and nearby towns."There are plenty of other suitable sites for wind farms, as identified in a report by the RSPB," she said."We are calling for government-led action to plan where this technology goes."The application to build the wind farm will be decided by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband MP, after the site was designated a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP).It means that although Calderdale Council can be consulted, councillors will not have the final say on whether the project proceeds.Currently the largest wind farm in England is at Keadby in Lincolnshire, where there are 34 turbines.The largest in the UK is at Whitelee near Glasgow with 215 turbines.
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The global race is on to be among the first 'electrostates': nations whose economies run on abundant, affordable, low-carbon power, rapidly reducing their dependency on volatile, insecure oil and gas. And the stakes are clear: last year, $2 trillion poured into clean energy, double the investment in fossil fuels, according to the International Energy Agency. Look at Norway, where almost every home is heated with electricity and nine in 10 new cars are electric. Sweden is producing fossil-free steel, aiming to dominate the industries of the 21st century. But it is Asia where we see the biggest changes, as growing energy demand drives a rapid shift towards clean energy. China, still the world's largest consumer of coal, is now moving towards a cleaner future: laying vast networks of transmission lines, rolling out the world's biggest fleet of electric vehicles, and deploying solar and wind at a scale that now dwarfs the rest of the world. We ignore these changes at our peril. This isn't just about cutting emissions. It's about cold, hard economics. India, Sweden and China and many other countries recognise the future is electric – it's the blueprint for a more efficient economy and the basis for economic dominance in the decades to come. Britain should be among these new electrostates. It makes economic sense but it is also an opportunity for better lives for people in Britain, whether that be warmer homes, cleaner air, new jobs and control over our energy. That's why over the past year I've been tasked with laying the foundations to lead this global race through our clean power by 2030 mission. We have approved clean energy projects that could power over two million homes, attracted over £50bn in private sector investment for clean energy industries, and backed nuclear power at scale – signing off a multi-billion-pound deal for Sizewell C that will deliver clean power for the equivalent of six million homes and support 10,000 jobs at peak construction. This complements work to launch first-of-a-kind carbon capture projects in the UK and introduced plans to upgrade millions of homes with clean technologies to cut bills for homeowners and renters. These are big and bold energy policy decisions that are required for Britain's reindustrialisation. We're going to be powered by electricity in the decades to come, so we need to start acting like it. This past week our annual renewables auction opened for applications. The Contracts for Difference scheme has been a notable British success in securing clean energy, creating jobs, strengthening local economies and attracting investment. Britain's greatest asset is our abundant offshore wind. Take Hornsea Two. Supported through the scheme, it now powers over 1.4 million British homes and supports 600 jobs in places like Grimsby and Hull. The Sofia offshore wind farm in the North Sea is projected to contribute £760m to the UK economy – up to £181m of that in Yorkshire and the Humber alone. These mega projects are drivers of growth. That's why investment in clean energy is so important. Our mission is the start of a new era of clean energy abundance, where plentiful British wind and solar drives down energy costs, creates jobs, and gives our industries a global competitive edge. Britain has a head start on the shift to clean power, but if we can't match – and in some areas beat – the pace of other countries' deployment, we risk the industries of tomorrow taking root elsewhere. We have every advantage – world-class engineering, a strong track record in renewables and some of the best natural resources for abundant power anywhere in the world. With the clarity of our clean power mission, we aim to secure the commitment of our clean industries and build their confidence to invest in Britain. This is the next chapter of Britain's industrial story. The scale of investment will bring new economic opportunities to communities in Wales, Teesside, Norfolk and the Humber. It will support new energy jobs in Scotland as our oil and gas resources begin to dwindle. Our once-in-a-generation investment in our electricity grid across the country will allow renewables and nuclear to fulfil their promise of lowering bills for households and businesses, ensuring Britain is no longer hostage to volatile global gas markets. Two centuries ago, Britain's embrace of coal and steam shaped the modern world. An industrial boom, based on domestically sourced energy and astonishing technological innovations. Fast forward to 2025, it is now clean power that provides the economic opportunity of the century. The more renewable and nuclear power we can connect to our grid, the quicker we will displace imported gas and decouple consumer prices from expensive imports. The faster we adopt electrical technologies, for our heating and cooling, for our transport and our industry, the easier it will be to maximise the use our domestic energy resources. The electrostates have already committed to a future powered by the wind, the sun and nuclear. That is Britain's path too. We must not watch from the sidelines as others claim the rewards.
