3 days ago
‘More wind farms in the South' under Miliband's regional energy blueprint
Plans to overhaul Britain's energy market being studied by Ed Miliband would prompt a surge in the number of wind farms in the South of England, officials have confirmed.
Fintan Slye, the chief executive of the National Energy System Operator (Neso), said breaking the electricity market into regions under so-called zonal pricing would encourage developers to put turbines up in the South.
He backed the idea and said the current system of setting power prices nationally was giving renewable developers the wrong 'price signals' over where to locate wind farms.
In a speech at the Royal Society, Mr Slye said he wanted renewable developers to 'move south' and build more wind and solar farms closer to where demand is strongest.
Mr Slye said: '[Zonal pricing] will incentivise the development of wind and solar farms in southern areas but it will also encourage energy intensive developments in the North and Scotland.'
Under zonal pricing, Britain would be split into regions and energy prices in each area would be set based on local supply and demand. In practice, households in the South would pay more than those in the North – where most wind farms are concentrated.
