At present, NI produces 1,400MW of electricity from onshore wind, but needs to add another 1,100MW of capacity if the Department for the Economy (DfE) targets are to be met, MLAs have been told.

Those DfE targets are set out in a new energy strategy published in December 2021, with 70% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030.

Giving evidence to the Stormont agriculture committee last Thursday as part of a briefing by Renewables NI, Russell Smyth from consultancy firm KPMG said that NI currently has 35 wind farms and around 700 single turbines.

It would also bring in more rates for local councils, which he estimates would grow from £15m to £25m per year over the period

He estimates that adding a further 1,100MW is equivalent to “two to three wind farms per year between now and 2030.”

That investment would create new jobs, with employment growing from around 600 at present, to approximately 1,350 by 2030. It would also bring in more rates for local councils, which he estimates would grow from £15m to £25m per year over the period.

However, he highlighted that NI needs more than just new wind farms, with up to £2.2bn of spend required on grid upgrades.

Typically on wind farm applications, we are waiting 11-12 months

The other major issue for developers is planning delays, with Steven Agnew, the head of Renewables NI, especially critical of the lack of resources within the NI Environment Agency (NIEA), which has led to slow response times to applications.

“Statutory consultees are supposed to respond within 21 days. Typically on wind farm applications, we are waiting 11-12 months. As we understand it, it is because there is one person in NI who looks at every wind farm application. It is a significant barrier,” said Agnew.

He also was critical of politicians who talk about the climate crisis yet block planning for wind farms because they “just don’t like them.”

“We need leadership from political parties. We do see, on the one hand, parties calling out the climate emergency, yet their councillors object to virtually every wind farm application,” said Agnew.

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