The game of political ping-pong between the Commons and the Lords is now over. And the winners are those on the green benches, with MPs finally grinding down the resolve of peers and ensuring the new Energy Act 2016 includes the provision for the early closure of the Renewables Obligation to onshore wind projects.
This has been expected by the industry since the day that the Conservatives – who lest we forget promised in their manifesto to “halt the spread of subsidised onshore windfarms” – won a surprise majority in the general election last year.
A third attempted amendment to the Bill was finally voted down in the House of Lords by 204 votes to 109, clearing the path for the early axeing of support for onshore wind.
The Tories will likely be crowing about how the move will save “hardworking families” money on their energy bills.
This could be argued to be a shrewd move. Money is still tight as the economy slowly wakes from its post-crash slumber, and the amount of approved onshore windfarms is already within the predicted range for 2020.
Countering that is the view that the government’s “ideological opposition” to onshore wind is threatening the cheapest renewable technology, and harming investor confidence. The EY index – in which the UK is now 13th – supports that view.
However, with royal assent now granted, one element of that political uncertainty has been removed. There is now just the small matter of the EU referendum.