A major onshore wind plan has been launched by the government to reverse almost a decade of stagnation in the sector.

The strategy could more than double the current onshore wind workforce, supporting up to 45,000 skilled jobs across the country by 2030, as the government looks to generate up to 29GW of onshore wind by 2030.

Following the government’s decision to scrap the nine-year de facto ban on onshore development last year, it has now published its major onshore wind plan to restart onshore wind across the UK.

Key measures include:

• Unlocking up to 10 GW of capacity by resolving conflicts with aerospace and defence infrastructure.
• Repowering old turbines to maintain and expand clean, homegrown energy.
• Supporting planners and developers with updated guidance and streamlined assessments to accelerate new English projects.
• Exploring an expanded clean industry bonus to boost UK supply chains and investment in industrial heartlands.

The government says as one of the cheapest and easiest renewables to build, onshore wind will provide clean, secure, homegrown power, cut reliance on volatile global gas markets, and help lower bills for good.

Energy minister Michael Shanks said: “Rolling out more onshore wind is a no-brainer – it’s one of our cheapest technologies, quick to build, supports thousands of skilled jobs and can provide clean energy directly to the communities hosting it.”

Matthieu Hue, co-chair of the Onshore Wind Taskforce and CEO of EDF Power Solutions UK and Ireland, added: “This strategy is focusing on overcoming barriers and challenges we face across the industry in the deployment of onshore wind while capturing the major socio-economic benefits it can bring to the environment and to local economies.

“Together we are forging a path forward for onshore wind in Great Britain, and we are committed to ensuring a successful implementation through a new Onshore Wind Council, which will oversee the execution of the strategy. This is a critical part of making Britain a clean energy superpower and delivering energy security.

The government has completed a process to de-risk offshore wind developments through the Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme, which will guide The Crown Estate’s Marine Delivery Routemap on strategic seabed use. This approach balances offshore wind growth with the needs of marine sectors, including fisheries, and protects the marine environment. It should also reduce planning consent risks for developers and speed up future offshore wind projects.

Government has described clean energy at the “economic opportunity” of the 21st century, adding more than £40bn of private investment in clean energy announced since July.

James Robottom, head of onshore wind delivery at RenewableUK, said: “Overturning the unpopular onshore wind ban, which deprived us of one of the quickest and cheapest technologies to build for a decade, was just the start. The hard work to make the most of this great opportunity to grow our economy and strengthen the UK’s energy security is now in full swing.

“This strategy sets an ambitious target to almost double the UK’s onshore wind capacity by the end of the decade as a key part of the government’s Clean Power by 2030 mission.

“The measures outlined will increase confidence among investors and developers, so that we can attract billions in private investment and create thousands of highly-skilled jobs and new supply chains all over the country.”

Click here to read the full onshore wind strategy.