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Wind farms: 'No change' on policy, says David Cameron Wind farms: 'No change' on policy, says David Cameron
(about 4 hours later)
  
There has been no change in the government's policy on renewable energy, the prime minister has said.There has been no change in the government's policy on renewable energy, the prime minister has said.
It comes after a Tory energy minister sparked a coalition row by claiming the UK had "enough" onshore wind farms.It comes after a Tory energy minister sparked a coalition row by claiming the UK had "enough" onshore wind farms.
A source close to Lib Dem Energy Secretary Ed Davey said Mr Hayes had "totally over-egged things" and did not make the final decisions. John Hayes was slapped down by his Lib Dem boss Ed Davey after suggesting future projects would be blocked.
David Cameron told MPs the government was committed to a number of wind projects already in the pipeline. Mr Davey said he was in charge of energy policy and, echoing the PM, said the wind farm policy had not changed.
Energy minister John Hayes told the href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2225531/Minister-signals-end-wind-farm-We-pepper-turbines-country--declares-energy-minister.html" >Daily Mail and href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/9644558/Death-knell-for-wind-farms-Enough-is-Enough-says-minister.html#" >Daily Telegraph the UK was "peppered" with wind farms and "enough is enough". "The government is still committed to renewables including onshore wind," said Mr Davey.
He suggested reviews would be launched into the noise and impact on the landscape created by turbines. "They are the cheapest available major renewable source and as the Prime Minister made clear today in the House of Commons the policy on renewables hasn't changed."
The comments put him on a collision course with energy and climate change secretary Mr Davey, who took personal charge of wind farm policy after Mr Hayes was appointed in September's reshuffle, and who has said having a wind farm on the doorstep can be good for communities. "There will still be lots of investment in onshore wind farms," he added, saying they were vital as a "clean" and "secure" alternative to oil from other countries as North Sea oil diminished.
Mr Davey is in charge of the government's renewable energy strategy, while Mr Hayes is in charge of "deployment". Mr Davey refused to answer when the question "Is John Hayes just wrong then?" was shouted at him by reporters.
Speaking in Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron denied there had been any change to the government's policy on wind energy, but did back a future debate on renewables, once the government had met its environmental targets. 'New Jerusalem'
Mr Hayes, a longstanding critic of wind farms, was handed the junior ministerial role in September's reshuffle, prompting Mr Davey to take personal control of wind farm policy to protect a key Lib Dem priority.
John Hayes is a long-standing opponent of onshore wind farms, so this row was waiting to happen.John Hayes is a long-standing opponent of onshore wind farms, so this row was waiting to happen.
I understand that he wrote an anti-wind speech which Ed Davey decreed to be against government policy.I understand that he wrote an anti-wind speech which Ed Davey decreed to be against government policy.
He then penned a more emollient version, but shared his original views with journalists.He then penned a more emollient version, but shared his original views with journalists.
Mr Hayes cannot be contacted to confirm that.Mr Hayes cannot be contacted to confirm that.
Onshore wind is particularly contentious with so many back-bench Conservatives opposing turbines in the countryside, but the Lib Dems insistent that wind farms offer the cheapest way of expanding low-carbon energy to help keep the lights on and reduce emissions in the forthcoming Energy Bill.Onshore wind is particularly contentious with so many back-bench Conservatives opposing turbines in the countryside, but the Lib Dems insistent that wind farms offer the cheapest way of expanding low-carbon energy to help keep the lights on and reduce emissions in the forthcoming Energy Bill.
Of the alternatives, offshore wind is very expensive; nuclear is controversial and expensive; wave power is in its infancy; energy efficiency is hard to achieve; coal is deemed too dirty and gas leaves the UK vulnerable to price spikes on the global market.Of the alternatives, offshore wind is very expensive; nuclear is controversial and expensive; wave power is in its infancy; energy efficiency is hard to achieve; coal is deemed too dirty and gas leaves the UK vulnerable to price spikes on the global market.
It's not easy.It's not easy.
He said: "There has been no change towards renewable energy. The Tory minister, who is in charge of "renewable energy deployment", is understood to have wanted to announce a moratorium on new wind farms in a speech on Tuesday evening but was prevented from doing so by Mr Davey.
"We have got a big pipeline of onshore and offshore wind projects that are coming through, but frankly all parties are going to have to have a debate in this House and outside this House about what happens when those targets are met." Instead, he told the href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2225531/Minister-signals-end-wind-farm-We-pepper-turbines-country--declares-energy-minister.html" >Daily Mail and href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/9644558/Death-knell-for-wind-farms-Enough-is-Enough-says-minister.html#" >Daily Telegraph there were enough wind farms in the planning pipeline to meet government environmental targets - and there should be no more.
Labour leader Ed Miliband described this as a "useless answer".
"There are investors all round this country who want certainty about energy policy," he said.
Some 4,000 turbines are due to be built across the UK by 2020 - which Mr Hayes told the two newspapers was sufficient to meet the government's environmental targets.
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has launched a consultation on future developments - but Mr Hayes appeared to pre-empt that by saying any future wind farm applications would put the views of local communities first.
He said: "We can no longer have wind turbines imposed on communities. I can't single-handedly build a new Jerusalem but I can protect our green and pleasant land.He said: "We can no longer have wind turbines imposed on communities. I can't single-handedly build a new Jerusalem but I can protect our green and pleasant land.
"We have issued a call for evidence on wind. That is about cost but also about community buy-in. We need to understand communities' genuine desires. We will form our policy in the future on the basis of that, not on a bourgeois Left article of faith based on some academic perspective."We have issued a call for evidence on wind. That is about cost but also about community buy-in. We need to understand communities' genuine desires. We will form our policy in the future on the basis of that, not on a bourgeois Left article of faith based on some academic perspective.
"If you look at what has been built, what has consent and what is in the planning system, much of it will not get through and will be rejected. Even if a minority of what's in the system is built we are going to reach our 2020 target.""If you look at what has been built, what has consent and what is in the planning system, much of it will not get through and will be rejected. Even if a minority of what's in the system is built we are going to reach our 2020 target."
Clarity wanted He also suggested reviews would be launched into the noise and impact on the landscape created by turbines - something denied by a DECC source, who said Mr Hayes had "totally over-egged" things in the newspaper interviews.
But a DECC source told the BBC's Chris Mason that Mr Hayes "does not make final decisions on this" and that he had "totally over-egged" things when he suggested reviews will be commissioned into the noise that turbines create and their relationship with the landscape. Mr Hayes told reporters on Wednesday morning "I stand by what I said".
There had been "absolutely no change in government policy", added the source, and "we will be reassuring the renewable energy industry we haven't shifted our view at all". 'Playing politics'
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron denied there had been any change to the government's policy on wind energy, but did back a future debate on renewables, once the government had met its environmental targets.
He said: "There has been no change towards renewable energy.
"We have got a big pipeline of onshore and offshore wind projects that are coming through, but frankly all parties are going to have to have a debate in this House and outside this House about what happens when those targets are met."
Labour leader Ed Miliband described this as a "useless answer," adding "there are investors all round this country who want certainty about energy policy".
There are 3,400 onshore wind turbines across the UK at 324 different sites, generating 3% of the UK's electricity.
A further 4,000 turbines are due to be built by 2020.
Maf Smith, deputy chief executive of RenewableUK, said his organisation was "disappointed" by Mr Hayes' comments, which came after he addressed a renewables conference on Tuesday evening.Maf Smith, deputy chief executive of RenewableUK, said his organisation was "disappointed" by Mr Hayes' comments, which came after he addressed a renewables conference on Tuesday evening.
Mr Smith told BBC Radio 4 Today's programme: "At our conference he was talking about the importance of renewables in the mix, the importance of wind, the importance of jobs and securing benefits for renewables.Mr Smith told BBC Radio 4 Today's programme: "At our conference he was talking about the importance of renewables in the mix, the importance of wind, the importance of jobs and securing benefits for renewables.
"What we would like is clarity about those views.""What we would like is clarity about those views."
Mr Hayes' speech to the event on Tuesday evening was "well received" by the renewables industry and did not include the views expressed in the newspaper interview, according to DECC.
But the minister, a longstanding critic of wind farms, told reporters on Wednesday morning "I stand by what I said" in the interviews.
DECC has said it has "no targets" for the deployment of onshore wind power but a spokesman added: "Government is committed to supporting a balanced energy mix of renewables, new nuclear and gas in order to meet the UK's energy needs."
Earlier this year, more than 100 Conservative MPs wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to get rid of the subsidies paid to wind farm operators funded from household energy bills.Earlier this year, more than 100 Conservative MPs wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to get rid of the subsidies paid to wind farm operators funded from household energy bills.
Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint, for Labour, accused Mr Hayes of "playing politics" with clean energy jobs and the country's energy security.Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint, for Labour, accused Mr Hayes of "playing politics" with clean energy jobs and the country's energy security.