Onshore Wind Conference 2022 Programme

Energy independence and security of supply are now a top priority for the UK and devolved governments. Onshore wind is one of the cheapest forms of new electricity generation and must play a key role in our nation’s strategy to cut our dependence on oil and gas and move to a secure, low-cost energy system powered by our own renewable energy resource.

The UK needs to double its total onshore wind capacity from the current 14GW to a minimum of 30GW by 2030, providing unique opportunities to reduce consumer bills by £16.3 billion over the course of a decade while adding £45 billion to the economy and creating 27,000 new jobs. Yet the Energy Security Strategy has not provided the clear pathway forward that the onshore wind sector urgently needs.

We are in a climate and cost of living emergency. The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind.

In this session you will learn:

• How the global onshore wind sector is moving and its implications for the UK market
• The key changes shaping the future development of the UK’s onshore wind fleet
• The predicted shape and size of the UK’s onshore wind industry - and where the opportunities lie
• A powerful and just wind industry, the importance of developing onshore and offshore jobs and skills together 

Chair
Claire Mack, Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables

Ministerial Address
Màiri McAllan MSP, Minister for Environment and Land Reform, The Scottish Government 

Speakers
Amy Keast, Onshore Wind Policy Manager, The Scottish Government
Kate Turner, Director of Policy and Regulation, ScottishPower Renewables
Jim Brown, Director, Energy Skills Partnership
Derek Hastings, Head of Onshore Projects, SSE Renewables

Q & A

The ongoing commitment from the UK Government to include onshore wind in annual Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions can give the industry some confidence, but with global energy price uncertainty and fast-approaching net-zero deadlines, we need rapid deployment.

In this session, we will look at future routes to market, both through the CfD and alternatives, as well as sharing knowledge and ideas on cost saving and procurement as the industry looks to develop to 2030 and beyond. 

We’ll cover:

• Routes to market and the future of the CfD - Auction Round 5 (AR5) and beyond 
• Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA)
• Market reform and pricing: the impact of ‘postcode pricing’ on UK renewable energy growth
• Looking at growing PPA market in the UK
• New ideas on cost saving and procurement opportunities
• What new partnerships could be explored?

Chair
Morag Watson, Director of Policy, Scottish Renewables

Speakers
Neil Marshall, Advisory Lead - Onshore Wind, Natural Power 
Suzanne Clifton, Onshore Wind Principal Development Manager, EDF Renewables
Tim Foster, Head of Energy Services, Conrad Energy
Richard Koiak, Head of Development Onshore Wind, Renewco Power Ltd

Q & A

The UK onshore wind industry has set an ambitious target of 30GW by 2030. Connecting this capacity to the grid is not without its challenges, whether ensuring that the lines are built in time, or the network charging regime is fit for purpose. Once this new capacity is built, we will need to get this power to where it is needed, which will mean addressing constraints between Scotland and England.

In this session we’ll cover:

• The challenge of grid connections and the future our grid infrastructure needs
• Current and future plans for network upgrades
• Reform of the network charging regime for a net-zero world
• Integrating long-term storage and flexibility into the UK power grid

Chair
Barnaby Wharton, Director of Future Electricity Systems, RenewableUK 

Panellists
Michael Dodd, Director, Market Area Manager, UK & Ireland, DNV 
Nicola Crawford-Percival, Head of Regulatory Affairs UK & Ireland, RWE Renewables
Susana Neves e Brooks, Customer Connections Senior Manager, National Grid ESO
Aileen McLeod, Head of Business Planning and Performance, SSEN Transmission

Q & A

Session sponsored by Fred. Olsen Renewables

As we transition into the fourth decade of onshore wind in the UK, with ambitious targets and new development, it is vital that industry looks ahead to what comes next. Maturing as a sustainable industry will include a greater focus on the circular economy, and ensuring that we continue to operate in a safe and responsible way. 

Alongside new development, without a robust repowering strategy, the UK risks losing almost 9GW of its total onshore generating capacity by 2040 when projects reach the end of their predicted lifespans. Effective repowering and life extension must be a key part of the strategy to maintain existing capacity and make the most efficient use of the available wind and land resource in the UK. 

In this session we’ll cover:

• Maximising the resource - life extension and repowering
• Circular economy - creating a sustainable industry
• How the industry maintains high-levels of health and safety standards and the work done so far
• Supporting ambition and creating opportunities - end of life strategies

Chair
Dan McGrail, Chief Executive, RenewableUK

Speakers
TJ Hunter, Senior Director, Development & Operations UK & Ireland, Ørsted 
Finley Becks-Phelps, UK Development Director, Fred. Olsen Renewables
Dr Rebecca Windermer, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Planning, UWE University
Julian Martin, Managing Director, ENERCON Services UK Ltd and Vice Chair, SafetyOn

Q & A

The onshore industry has a long history of successfully engaging and providing benefits to communities. Governments across the UK have all expressed interest in seeing community benefit schemes have a more strategic role in reaching net-zero. However, with the energy cost crisis, there are political calls (particularly in England) to see onshore renewables directly lowering energy bills.

UK government is soon to be consulting on “developing local partnerships for a limited number of supportive communities who wish to host new onshore wind infrastructure in return for benefits” – as outlined in the British Energy Security Strategy and this provides a good opportunity for the industry to get together to share knowledge on good practice as well as demonstrate that we are proactively engaging with groups who represent communities.

In this session we will cover:

• What the future of community engagement and benefit could look like?
  
  
• Letting the community decide – flexibility and case studies for delivering real benefit to communities
  
  
• Defining communities and demonstrating support
  
  
• Local Electricity Discount Schemes and other models for community benefit

Chair
Marjorie Neasham Glasgow, Chief Executive Officer, Ridge Clean Energy

Speakers
Callum Whiteford, Head of Communications UK&I, RES
Holly Backhurst, ESG Manager, Ventient Energy
Mark Brennan, Shared Ownership Manager, Local Energy Scotland
David Hannon, Strategic Project Director, Orkney Islands Council

Q & A

Session sponsored by Shepherd and Wedderburn

Onshore wind can deliver low cost gigawatts, consumer savings, jobs and economic activity - but only with planning consent. Planning has been a barrier since Delabole, the UK’s first commercial wind farm, was built in 1991. Since 2015, getting new onshore wind built in England has been nearly impossible. In Scotland the NPF4 promised to transform planning to enable the achievement of net-zero - but we’re yet to see progress on these reforms.

The time has come for industry, UK and devolved governments and other industry bodies to reflect public opinion and actively support onshore wind. Unlocking planning restrictions, reducing timescales and processes is now critical. This session will examine what we can collectively do to ensure planning becomes an enabling tool for onshore wind.

In this session you will learn:

• The key challenges at play in the planning balance that lengthen the decision-making process and impact project timelines
• The forces shaping the planning system, the tensions between them and their impact on onshore wind deployment
• How onshore wind projects and industry can collaborate, adapt and grow to protect, restore and enhance our environment and biodiversity
• Key industry recommendations to UK and devolved governments on how to reset and rebalance planning systems to reduce timescales and ensure consents are delivered predictably, consistently and quickly to deliver a net-zero UK

Chair
Emma Paton, Senior Associate, Shepherd and Wedderburn

Speakers
Ruth Findlay, Head of Energy Consents Unit, The Scottish Government 
Eleri Davies, Head of Onshore Development: Wales & England, RWE Renewables
Mary Fisher, Landscape Planning Director, Stephenson Halliday
Jenny Hazzard, Head of Environmental Planning, ITPEnergised

Q & A

Closing remarks
James Robottom, Head of Onshore Wind, RenewableUK
Mark Richardson, Senior Policy Manager | Onshore Wind & Consenting, Scottish Renewables