Experts say Ed Miliband's £1.1bn for new offshore wind projects not enough

UK's £1.1bn offshore wind fund under fire for being too small to meet green targets

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has set aside a staggering £900m per year to support the development of new offshore wind projects, but critics say this is a paltry sum that will struggle to keep the UK on track to meet its ambitious green electricity targets by 2030.

Industry experts have questioned whether the budget will be enough to generate the required amount of clean energy, with one expert expecting a figure as high as £2bn. RenewableUK, an industry lobby group, has also expressed concerns that the budget will only cover about a quarter of the 20 gigawatts of projects currently waiting for planning permission.

The UK's reliance on renewable energy is already significant, with wind power accounting for 30% of electricity generation in 2024, surpassing gas power stations. However, further investments in wind and solar would be necessary to meet the target of completely removing carbon emissions from British electricity supplies by 2030.

Government sources have previously hinted at the possibility of abandoning the 2030 target if it were to add too much to household bills. However, this is now being disputed, with a government source claiming that the initial budget shows "big backing" from the Treasury.

The budget will be allocated through an auction process, which could potentially lead to the government contracting more offshore wind generation if there are value for money opportunities. Industry leaders are hopeful that the new contracts will attract lower prices, but experts remain skeptical about whether the current funding will be enough to meet the UK's green targets.

As the debate over the UK's energy policy continues, one thing is clear: the country needs to invest significantly in renewable energy if it hopes to achieve its ambitious goals. With the government's new £1.1bn offshore wind fund under fire for being too small, the question on everyone's mind is: will this be enough?

idk why ppl need £2billion lol like isnt that just a small fraction of what google spends in one year but seriously tho, i think its a good start but we need more pressure from industries and citizens to make it happen. maybe the gov should reconsider the 2030 target if it means lower bills for households?

I THINK THE UK'S GREEN TARGETS ARE REALLY AMBITIOUS AND IT'S GOOD THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO INVEST IN RENEWABLE ENERGY HOWEVER, £900M PER YEAR DOES SEEM LIKE A SMALL BUDGET IF YOU ASK ME. I MEAN, £2BN IS A LOT MORE LIKE IT! WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE OUR ENERGY SUPPLIES ARE CLEAN AND SUSTAINABLE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

I'm surprised that £900m per year is considered a paltry sum when you think about it - that's like £7.3m per day or £1,400 per hour! To put that into perspective, the cost of delaying our carbon targets by just 5 years could be as high as £10 trillion ...and we can't afford to let that happen. As it stands now, the UK's renewable energy sector is already booming, with wind power accounting for 30% of electricity generation in 2024 - I'm all for that! But if we want to meet our target of completely removing carbon emissions from British electricity supplies by 2030, we need a lot more than £900m per year. A good rule of thumb is that the cost of renewable energy is now competitive with fossil fuels in many parts of the world - let's see some real investment!

I'm telling you, this whole thing is a classic case of short-term thinking v/s long-term vision The UK's got its priorities all wrong if it thinks £1.1bn is gonna cut it for meeting those green targets by 2030. We need to be investing in the future, not just patching up the existing energy infrastructure I mean, what's the point of setting ambitious targets if we're not gonna back them up with serious funding? It's all about sending a signal to investors and businesses that this is a country that's committed to making the transition to clean energy. Anything less is just a half-measure We need to be putting more money on the table, not less And what's with the auction process? Is that really gonna attract lower prices or just create more uncertainty for investors? It's all about sending the right message, and if we don't get it right, we risk falling behind other countries in the renewable energy race

The UK's green targets are ambitious and crucial for the country's climate goals but it seems like the funding might not be enough to meet them. I mean, £1.1bn per year just doesn't seem like a lot, especially considering the massive 20 gigawatts of projects waiting for planning permission. The fact that renewableUK is saying it'll only cover about a quarter of those projects raises some serious concerns .

I get why the government wants to keep costs down and not add too much to household bills, but I think they need to find a way to balance that with actually meeting their targets. We can't just rely on vague hints from the Treasury and expect everything to work out . The industry needs more clarity and support if we're going to make this transition to clean energy happen. And honestly, £2bn per year would be a better bet .

I'm really worried about this . I mean, they're already doing alright with 30% of electricity coming from wind power, but to meet the targets by 2030, we need a lot more than £900m/year . It's like trying to fill a bucket that's already half full with water . We can't keep relying on just one type of energy source either. What about solar and other renewables? We need a mix of everything! And don't even get me started on the household bills thing... if they're gonna abandon the target, that's just a cop-out . I think we should be investing way more in renewable energy than what this budget offers .

omg $1.1b just doesn't cut it like seriously 2b would be a way more realistic amount lol but idk i'm still hopeful that this will help push us towards those green targets maybe we can get it done before 2030

I'm not sure about the new budget, mate . I mean, £900m a year seems like a decent start, but 20 gigawatts of projects waiting in the wings still feels like a lot to tackle alone . And £2bn is just crazy talk! But seriously, wind power already makes up 30% of our electricity generation - that's impressive . We need more of it if we wanna hit that 2030 carbon-free target . The auction process could be a good way to get better prices, but I'm still not convinced . What do you think? Can the UK really afford not to splurge on green energy?

Ugh, I'm so over the forum's comments section right now . Can't we just have a discussion without someone jumping into the fray and making everything about their own opinion? I mean, I get it, people care deeply about this topic, but can we please keep it civil?

Seriously though, £1.1bn is peanuts when you think about how much more we need to invest in renewable energy to meet our green targets . 20 gigawatts of projects waiting for planning permission? That's just not enough. I'd be happy to see the government throwing some serious cash at this problem, but £900m per year is just not going to cut it .

And don't even get me started on how this budget might impact household bills . If they're really worried about that, maybe they should be looking for ways to make it more affordable for people, rather than trying to scrounge up every last penny from the Treasury .

Anyway, back to the topic at hand... I think we need a lot more investment in renewable energy, and fast ️. We can't keep relying on fossil fuels forever, but if we don't start making some serious progress now, it's going to be too late .

I mean, come on! A £900m a year fund just isn't gonna cut it if we wanna power our homes sustainably by 2030. It's like, think about it - we're already relying on wind for 30% of our electricity and now we want to switch to completely clean energy? That's ambitious! We need more than just a quarter of the projects waiting for planning permission covered. I'm worried that if we don't increase this funding, we'll be stuck in limbo. What's gonna happen to those 20 gigawatts of projects when they can't even get funded? It's time for some serious investment, imo!

Ugh I'm so worried about this the UK needs a way more than just £900m to get on track with its green targets I mean 20 gigawatts of projects waiting for planning permission is a lot and if we're already relying on wind power for 30% of electricity generation, it's gotta be something bigger . And let's not forget about the carbon emissions from household bills... that's like adding insult to injury . I think they need to rethink their strategy and invest way more in renewable energy ASAP .

I'm low-key worried about the UK's green targets The £900m budget just seems so meh, especially when industry experts are expecting a figure as high as £2bn It's gonna take more than that to get us off carbon emissions by 2030 . We already do 30% wind power and that's still not enough for the UK's big plans . The government needs to step up their game (and fund) or else we'll be stuck in a energy crisis ! RenewableUK is right, this budget only covers a quarter of projects waiting for planning permission... what's the hurry? We need more $$$, not less #OffshoreWindFund #RenewableEnergyMatters #ClimateActionNow

idk about this... £900m per year is a decent start, i guess, but 20 gigawatts of projects waiting in the wings? that's a lot to handle with just £900m. renewables are already making a big impact, but we need more if we wanna hit those carbon targets by '30. I'm not saying it's impossible, but the industry experts seem kinda worried about this...

OMG I'm literally so frustrated about this! Like we need like a billion pounds or something to keep our green targets on track . I mean I get it, household bills are a thing but come on £900m per year is already pretty decent don't you think ? And what's the point of even having an auction if it's just gonna be like "oh we can't afford to pay that" . Like I'm all for saving money and stuff, but our planet isn't going anywhere ! We need to step up our renewable game ASAP . I swear, I'd rather see them increase the budget by 100% than just stick with £1.1bn

Ugh, £900m is like, peanuts compared to what we need . I mean, 20 gigawatts of projects waiting for planning permission and we're only covering a quarter with this budget? It's like the government thinks renewable energy will magically appear out of thin air . And don't even get me started on the auction process - it sounds like they're just trying to sweet-talk their way into getting more money without actually committing to it .

And what's up with the whole "big backing" from the Treasury thing? It's not like that means anything if we can't deliver results . I mean, I know the government wants to balance the books and all, but this is a huge step backwards for green energy. We need to be investing in the future, not just cutting corners to save a few quid .