Greening the Energy Trilemma

Following this week’s public inquiry in Scotland over the proposed Strathy South windfarm in the heart of the Flow Country Country, I’ve been reflecting on how there is still much work to do to make the so-called energy trilemma work for nature.

So, what is this trilemma?

There is growing acceptance that we need an energy system that delivers low bills for customers, provides a security of supply and meets our greenhouse gas reduction targets. This approach is vital – we all need affordable energy, we need to keep the lights on and we need to wean ourselves off fossil fuels to prevent climate change which could be catastrophic for people and nature.

Yet, I would argue that this approach, however challenging, remains inadequate. We need a fresh approach that works for nature and those people that care about nature.  Indeed, this was at the heart of the original thinking by the World Energy Council (see here).  It is this philosophy that has guided our engagement in all big renewable energy developments including those relating to harnessing the tidal power of the Severn Estuary - (see here).  

In the Flow country this week, my colleagues were arguing against the Strathy South windfarm development because of the potential impact on important populations of species such as greenshank and red-throated diver. The decision whether to give the project the green light is now in the hands of Scottish Ministers.

Across the UK, we’re pretty experienced at engaging in these sort of applications. We don’t do so lightly – we support renewable energy and we need windfarms on land at sea but these have to be put in the right places where they won’t cause needless harm to wildlife.

Over the past ten years, of the 2568 new cases, we engaged with 2240 and objected to 205 (9% of those we worked on or 8% of the total). You get a sense of the scale of this activity from the map below.

Yet, while we continue fight renewable energy projects in stupid locations, we continue also to invest in civil society campaigning for action on climate change such as next week’s London lobby of Parliament. This isn’t inconsistent. It’s what we believe in – a transition towards a low carbon economy that takes place in harmony with nature.

And it is upon this experience that we base our advocacy to decision makers across the UK and through our Birdlife International partners in Europe. Here’s a six point plan for greening the energy trilemma...

• Invest in strategic spatial planning: we need a much more strategic and long-term planning approach to wind development than is currently being taken. By mapping where there is wind resource and where vulnerable species are found, it is possible to steer developers towards less sensitive sites, providing greater certainty for developers and lower risks for nature. Strategic environmental assessment of wind development plans makes this possible.
• Adopt a precautionary approach when locating wind farms in sensitive locations: for example, avoid Natura 200 sites designated under the EU Nature Directives. In the marine environment there is an urgent need to complete the network of protected areas, in order to protect nature and give more certainty to developers regarding appropriate locations for development.
• Undertake thorough environmental assessment of projects: it is important that potential impacts on birds and wildlife are assessed in an objective and robust way. 
• Explore effective mitigation of risks, where these cannot be avoided through site location.
• Invest in evidence: there are gaps in knowledge and understanding of the impacts of wind energy, so the environmental impact of operational wind farms needs to be monitored - and policies and practices need to be adaptable, as we learn more about the impacts of wind farms on birds.
• Continue to invest in renewables: to meet our climate change commitments we must continue to invest in both demand management (for example through energy efficiency) but also in renewable energy. That’s why we continue to support ambitious targets and effective support schemes for renewable energy deployment, including for onshore and offshore wind.

We think we can address the energy trilemma – a low carbon energy future with affordable electricity and minimises the impact on the natural environment.

Next week, in the run up to the London lobby, I shall share the latest work that we are doing to understand and then adapt to the impact of climate change on nature.