Octopus urges landowners to register interest in onshore wind turbines for new energy scheme
Octopus Energy Generation (Octopus) is calling on landowners to register interest in hosting onshore wind turbines, which the energy firm will match with community demand.
The company hopes the scheme, ‘Plots for Kilowatts’, will reduce energy bills for communities through onshore wind development.
It is aiming a to create a ‘‘dating agency’-type platform, marrying up communities that have registered interest with landowners that can provide space for local wind turbines.
It will then overlay the matches with data on grid availability, wind speeds and environmental impact.
Octopus is aiming to narrow down at least 10 viable sites by the end of summer, which it will be put forward to the government to consider.
The government opted against reforming planning laws or providing specific targets to ramp up onshore wind power – which currently generates 14GW of energy – in its supply security strategy earlier this month.
However, it is looking to develop local partnerships for supportive communities that wish to host new onshore wind infrastructure in return for lower energy bills.
This follows Octopus launching its local wind tariff – the Fan Club – in January 2021, which offers households living close to its wind turbines up to 50 per cent discount on energy rates.
Zoisa North-Bond, chief executive of Octopus Energy Generation, said: “We’ve been blown away by the demand we’ve seen for local green energy with cheaper energy rates. We’re now asking UK landowners to join us on our mission to dramatically accelerate people-led green energy. This will help unlock the UK’s significant renewable potential and speed up the transition to net zero and energy independence.”