The UK’s decision to stop subsidising new onshore wind farms will make it harder to meet renewable energy targets, the EU’s climate chief says.
Miguel Arias Canete said the EU had already calculated that the UK was not on track to meet legally binding goals.
Asked by EA if the wind decision would make the task harder he replied: “Of course”.
His officials have expressed bemusement at the decision to end subsidies for onshore wind energy a year early.
They said onshore wind was by far the cheapest way to hit the target of 15% of all energy from renewables from 2020.
‘Mind-boggling’
The SNP estimate the change will cost bill payers up to three billion pounds.
After a media briefing on climate policy at the European Commission, one official told the BBC the decision was “mind-boggling in an economy that’s supposedly price sensitive.”
The official said the EU would not interfere in the UK’s energy choices, but expressed doubt whether it would achieve renewables targets without more onshore wind, and whether future energy subsidy auctions in the UK would breach EU state aid rules if nuclear was included and onshore wind barred.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change said the UK was making good progress towards the EU 2020 target on renewables.
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