Conservative and Labour Party Energy Policies: Renewables

The Conservative and Labour parties outlined their new energy goals in their manifestos in June 2024. Even though the general election is over, you may still be wondering what the Conservative and Labour Party energy policy looks like.

Before the 2024 election, both parties doubled down on their existing positions on energy. Net-zero represents a legally binding goal for the country, acting as a natural centrepiece for Labour and Conservative energy policies.

But there’s a lot to uncover beneath the surface of a generalised net zero promise, so let’s take a closer look at what sets Conservative and Labour party energy policies apart.

The Policy Rundown

The Conservative and Labour Parties have long presented different visions for addressing climate change and advancing renewable energy in the UK.

Their 2024 manifestos highlight differing priorities, strategies and timelines, reflecting their broader ideological and policy approaches.

Conservatives

The Conservative Party’s approach to renewable energy focuses on gradual implementation, balancing economic growth, energy security and household affordability.

The party is generally less aggressive than Labour in its approach toward net zero. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re placing renewables or net zero low on their list of priorities.

Wind

In their most recent manifesto, the Conservatives discussed their aim to triple offshore wind capacity in the UK. The Conservatives are also interested in increasing the scope for offshore cabling. This is partly to boost offshore capacity, but it’s also a way to reduce onshore infrastructure directly without necessarily damaging clean energy prospects.

While they have established planning rules to make onshore wind projects more feasible, the Conservatives still emphasise in their manifesto the need for ‘democratic consent’ for onshore projects. This would effectively maintain constraints on widespread onshore wind deployment and reinforce the party’s historical views regarding onshore wind.

Solar

Both parties support an expansion of solar power, with the Conservatives shooting for 70 GW by 2035 and Labour aiming for 50 GW by 2030. This Conservative stance on solar is an interesting shift from the Conservative leadership race of 2022, with Liz Truss vowing to ‘get rid of solar farms’ that she sees as a blight on the countryside.

The party has also encouraged solar power development through rooftop installations and projects on brownfield sites. However, large-scale solar farms must still overcome regulatory hurdles to avoid oversaturation in specific regions.

Nuclear

Nuclear energy isn’t discussed half as much as solar or wind energy in the UK, but it plays a prominent role in the Conservative strategy. Their energy strategy is focused on achieving 95 per cent clean power by 2030, with nuclear energy as a significant component.

The Conservatives plan to scale nuclear investments by approving two new fleets of small modular reactors (SMRs) and completing projects at Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C. On top of this, they’re committing to more large-scale projects like Wylfa in Anglesey, North Wales. This aligns with their vision of a diversified, low-carbon energy mix.

Grid connection structure

An impressive development in the Conservative 2024 manifesto is a pledge to address delays in grid connections. Delayed grid connections are an issue that hampers renewable energy deployment across all types, making this a welcome development.

However, their manifesto needs detailed plans for large-scale grid upgrades if we’re looking at a future powered predominantly by renewables. Monitoring any future manifestos to see whether this is more specifically addressed is essential.

Labour

Labour’s manifesto outlines a more aggressive push toward renewable energy, aiming to position the UK as a global leader in clean energy innovation and deployment.

Along with attempting to create better energy independence, they have already removed the de facto wind ban [Link to blog 25(4)], in place since 2015, and pushed for a serious increase in onshore wind projects.

Wind

Labour has always been largely supportive of wind energy. It has mentioned plans to double onshore wind and quadruple offshore wind by 2030. Although this primarily addresses net-zero goals, it’s also designed to leave the UK less vulnerable to energy shocks and high prices.

Labour has already taken an enormous step forward for wind energy by removing the de facto wind energy ban in July 2024. Before this, it took a lot of work to get planning permission for new wind farms, as they had to be universally supported by the local community.

And this wasn’t the only hurdle that developers had to tackle. Local authorities were also responsible for allocating suitable sites for wind development. As these authorities are generally overstretched, this process wasn’t happening at an acceptable pace.

So, by removing the de facto wind farm ban from 2015 and moving a lot of the decision-making to the national level, Labour is making it far easier to mount new projects in the future.

Alongside larger-scale projects, Labour also looks to localise energy projects, enabling communities and local authorities to own or co-own renewable developments. This includes wind projects through its Local Power Plan.

Solar

Labour has lofty goals for solar in their 2024 manifesto. Not only do they aim to triple the UK’s solar capacity by 2030, but they’re looking to start a rooftop solar ‘revolution’. This plan aims to make rooftop installations more affordable for homeowners and businesses.

On top of their large-scale and home-based solar goals, the party also plans to provide financial incentives, reduce regulatory barriers and prioritise integrating solar into new building developments.

Labour has also committed to increasing funding for CfD auctions. In the latest 2024 funding round, there was a 52 per cent increase in the budget allocation. This move aims to attract investment and stabilise prices for solar energy generation projects.

Nuclear

Labour supports extending the life of existing nuclear plants, completing projects like Hinkley Point C, and developing new nuclear facilities, including Sizewell C and small modular reactors (SMRs). The latest Labour government has also been transparent about its plans to halve the approval time for new nuclear reactors.

Labour is also looking to extend the lifetimes of current operating plants, but knows this will come with significant costs. How this will pan out in real-time is yet to be confirmed.

Overall, they see nuclear energy as integral to their 100 per cent clean energy target. We’ll need to wait and see how much capacity Labour plans to add to the UK’s overall energy mix as and when this is announced.

Great British Energy

Labour has been very clear about its plans to establish a publicly owned energy company, Great British Energy. This company will focus on strategic investments in renewables such as floating offshore wind, solar and green hydrogen.

Great British Energy is designed ‘to drive forward investment in clean, home-grown energy production’ that delivers energy back to the British people. The company will partner with industry and trade unions to co-invest in leading technologies that will benefit communities nationwide. To make this project happen, it has announced a staggering £8.3 billion investment over the next parliament.

Labour is also looking toward rewarding clean energy developers. They’re doing this through the British Jobs Bonus, allocating up to ‘£500 million per year from 2026, to incentivise firms who offer good jobs, terms and conditions and build their manufacturing supply chains in our industrial heartlands, coastal areas, and energy communities’.

These steps should cut energy bills, help the UK reach net-zero targets and make the country more investable.

Grid connection structure

It’s hoped that Great British Energy will also reduce pressure on the transmission grid and reliance on foreign gas.

Labour has recognised that the grid is a massive obstacle to deploying cheap, clean power. As many connection dates aren’t offered until the late 2030s, Labour aims to upgrade the national infrastructure and rewire the country.

While this seems highly optimistic (and is certainly a big project), it’s a positive step forward that hopes to improve the clean energy movement across the country.

The Bottom Line on Conservative and Labour Party Energy Policies

Under Labour’s new policies, expect a significant increase in the UK’s current number of renewable energy projects. This is particularly true for wind. These policies would benefit new and prospective landowners with a stable, long-term, diversified income stream to supplement their farming income.

As the prices of fertiliser and diesel have also risen considerably over the years, the new Labour government should help to relieve the enormous pressures currently faced by the farming community.

From this rundown of Conservative and Labour party energy policies, you have seen that the UK plans to take serious steps toward net zero in the next 25 years. As a result, it’s thought that more renewable energy projects will be approved as development barriers are removed.

If you want to place a renewable energy project on your land, we can help. The team at Lumify Energy has helped countless landowners secure favourable terms for their long-term leases. We can also help you boost rental income and demystify the often-complex process. So, why not get in touch and let us guide you through?