Wind 101: Tory MPs pressure Cameron over renewable energy
By Alex Stevenson Follow @alex__stevenson
Nearly a third of Conservative MPs are demanding the coalition retreat from its commitment to onshore wind energy subsidies.
Backbencher Chris Heaton-Harris, who organised the letter, secured the signatures of 101 Tory MPs, together with a handful of other backbenchers, for the letter to David Cameron attacking the government's renewable energy policy.
"We have grown more and more concerned about the government's policy of support for on-shore wind energy production," the letter states.
"In these financially straightened times, we think it is unwise to make consumers pay, through taxpayer subsidy, for inefficient and intermittent energy production that typifies onshore wind turbines."
The letter presented a shopping list of ways in which the government could reduce the likelihood of large numbers of onshore wind farms being developed across Britain.
It called on ministers to reduce the subsidy for wind turbines and amend the proposed national policy planning framework to make it easier for local people to defeat planning applications for new wind farms.
The letter also said recent planning appeals had approved wind farm developments after inspectors said renewable energy targets trumped planning considerations.
"Taken to its logical conclusion, this means that it is impossible to defeat applications through the planning system," the MPs added.
"We would urge you to ensure that planning inspectors know that the views of local people and long established planning requirements should always be taken into account."
The letter is well-timed, as Mr Davey's approach to wind energy is thought to be less dogmatic than Mr Huhne's.
