Developing a strategy for Renewable Energy: Wind

What is this all about?

An important part of climate change mitigation involves achieving 100% renewable energy across all sectors. The Council is therefore seeking to significantly increase the amount of renewable energy generated in South Gloucestershire and our new Local Plan will play an important role in doing so.

We are starting to think about how we can develop a positive strategy for renewable energy generation in South Gloucestershire. An important part of doing this will involve directing development of standalone wind and solar renewable energy installations to specific areas and in some cases safeguarding land so that renewable energy can be generated in the future.

Through this consultation, we want to start sharing and discussing options around where these areas might be located. These areas have been informed by our technical evidence the Renewable Energy Resource Assessment Study (RERAS).

The RERAS contains some general principles, or ‘building blocks’, which we think are an important starting point for developing a positive strategy for renewable energy generation in South Gloucestershire. One of the key principles is that a mix of onshore wind and solar technology will be required to meet our needs for renewable energy. A comparison of the two technologies is shown below.

Importantly, our evidence also shows that opportunities to deliver ‘big’ wind energy generation (1MW and 2.5MW turbines) in South Gloucestershire are limited and, therefore, we need to consider safeguarding land.

What does the map show?

The map shows areas we are proposing to safeguard for ‘big’ wind energy generation in the form of either 1MW wind turbines or 2.5MW turbines.

The areas include a standard buffer area which we are proposing to also safeguard in order to prevent sterilisation of the potential resource by other land uses, including residential development.

How do I get started?

Click on the map below to get started.

You can select to view areas that we might safeguard for either 1MW wind turbines or 2.5MW wind turbines, or both areas at once.

You can click on any of the areas proposed for safeguarding and this will display some basic information about them and give you the option to comment on the option to safeguard them for generating renewable energy from wind.

The map view can also be changed by clicking on the ‘Change map view’ button.

You can read more about the issue or renewable energy, our strategy and safeguarding land in our Phase 2 Local Plan consultation document here.

Further information can be found in the RERAS Report (under Renewable and low carbon energy).