Boris Johnson pledges to power all UK homes with wind by 2030

British prime minister Boris Johnson declared today at the Conservative Party conference that the UK would become “the world leader in clean wind energy.” He committed £160 million ($207 million) to upgrade ports and factories in northern England, Scotland, and Wales in order to build wind turbines.

UK wind target boost

The plan includes the creation of 2,000 clean energy construction jobs and the support of 60,000 more — a welcome announcement in light of jobs lost in the dying fossil fuel industry. The government is boosting its target for offshore wind power capacity by 2030 from 30 to 40 gigawatts.

Johnson said that offshore wind farms will be able to power every home in the UK within 10 years. He said:

Your kettle, your washing machine, your cooker, your heating, your plug-in electric vehicle — the whole lot of them will get their juice cleanly and without guilt from the breezes that blow around these islands.

The wind announcement is the first stage of the British government’s 10-point plan for a “green industrial revolution” from the government. The rest of the plan will be shared later this year.

Caterina Brandmayr, head of climate at think tank Green Alliance, said in response to the announcement:

The prime minister is right that a green recovery is the best way to create jobs in every part of the UK, to lead the world in tackling climate change, and to protect our precious natural world. The race is now on for the government and British businesses to replicate the success story of the offshore wind in electric vehicles, smart grid technology, and future-proofed homes. With the urgent need to reboot the economy, in order to protect the livelihoods of thousands of people across the UK, and with time running out for the planet, the prime minster’s 10-point plan could not be more important.”

Electrek’s Take

Running every household on wind power in Britain by 2030, which consumes one-third of electricity in the UK, is a fantastic target, but there’s still work to do, being that two-thirds of power is used by other things such as factories and offices.

Teesside and Humber is the area in northern England that will see the manufacturing boost, and this is another welcome announcement for that region, which was just last week named the UK’s first Hydrogen Transport Hub by the British government. Green energy really does create jobs.

We look forward to learning about what’s coming next in Johnson’s 10-point plan.

Photo: Peter Cavanagh/Alamy Stock Photo