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Energy Security

We think that, in order to secure our energy supplies in future, we need diversity of energy sources. It was Churchill who said that the security of our energy supply lies in diversity and diversity alone, and it is important that we have contributions to our supply from across the piece. Therefore, we would change that policy, because one of the problems with the current onshore wind policy regime is that many communities—including some in the hon. Gentleman's constituency, perhaps—feel they gain no advantage from the siting of wind farms in their locality. They are sometimes concerned about what they might see as risks—they might not know whether the wind farms will be noisy, or what the impact will be. They will therefore often decide—on a precautionary principle, perhaps—to oppose the application because there is no countervailing argument. On the continent, however, wind farms tend to be much more community-based and community-owned. Whether in Denmark or Spain, the communities that host wind farms share in the benefits, such as by receiving revenue from the electricity sold or, in many cases, getting cheaper electricity. Our policy is to return some of those benefits—through the first six years of business rates, for example—and to look into how we might provide cheaper electricity to the communities involved. That at least provides a more balanced debate.