The news that Ed Davey has given consent for a new wind farm of the Suffolk Coast means that from 2019 our nation gets a bit closer to the target of being free from fossil fuel powered electricity. It is disappointing that the decision comes in the wake of recent decisions to say no to both on shore wind and solar panels, making it appear to be even more important. Part of the challenge we will face moving forward is that on-shore developments will require the consent of local communities in ways that fracking proposals or off-shore does not which is a deplorable im-balance. This coupled with the information that the public subsidy payable to off shore wind farms is so much higher than on-shore schemes does dampen the news a little. As vital as this wind farm will be we need an even handed approach to energy production that does not play unreasonably to vested interests and allows developments of the cheaper on shore schemes to take place more easily.

However an even bigger challenge is that we are still no nearer to a situation where the surplus energy produced by wind and solar at times when the demand is low, can be stored in an effective manner. The researchers and commercial investors in the first viable electricity storage system will probably become very rich. This would bring to an end those carping critics of the solar/wind production who make much of the unpredictability of this form of production. It may be that if a storage technology can be found that some of the excuses from those who have so far blocked other schemes will be removed once and for all.

As we get closer to an election it will be interesting to see what sort of proposals the Political Parties develop on renewable energy. These themes are a bit more edifying than the race to be meanest on people who have been unable to find work!