Miliband plots surge in wind farm subsidies to rescue net zero

To accelerate wind farm construction, Mr Miliband wants to scrap limits on the total subsidy on offer to offshore developers in Whitehall auctions.

Instead a target would be set for the amount of electricity to be generated, with the cost to households only worked out afterwards.

‘Short-term pain’

A Whitehall insider agreed costs could rise initially, suggesting that the investment in renewables now would bring prices down in years to come.

“It means short-term pain in energy bills, for long-term gain,” he said.

The scheme was revealed in a paper from Mr Miliband’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). “In place of a budget, the Government would publish a capacity ambition,” it said.

Mr Miliband wants between 43GW and 50GW of offshore wind by 2030. Only 16GW is operational so far, with another 12.6GW in planning. That leaves a shortfall of about 15GW just to hit the minimum, which would broadly mean adding an extra 1,500 giant 10-megawatt turbines to the 1,500 already planned.