Wind power advantages demonstrated in IPPR report

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) published a new report on Thursday 30 August claiming there was little evidence to support opposition to wind power. The report set out to demonstrate "unequivocally" that wind power was both an effective means to reduce CO2 emissions and could be a secure and reliable energy source. It claimed UK CO2 emissions savings from wind energy were at least 5.5mn tonnes in 2011, and there were "good reasons" to think the actual figure was higher. Wind energy could also be "easily" integrated into electricity systems; the report argued the UK's ability to "keep the lights on" would be secure at the levels of wind power projected for the UK by 2020.
Following the IPPR report the Renewable Energy Association (REA) has called for a "better" level of discussion about wind energy in the UK. Chief executive Gaynor Hartnell said on Thursday opponents should be "honest" about their motivations, and not disguise them in "spurious" arguments. But she added wind energy proponents must be prepared to accept some people think turbines are a "blot on the landscape". RenewableUK chief executive Maria McCaffery said the IPPR report showed electricity systems across Europe were "efficiently" utilising the levels of wind power the UK would achieve by 2020.
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