Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to her Department's Impact Assessment of 8 September 2015 on Onshore Wind: closure of renewables obligation on 31 March 2016, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the proposed closure of the Renewables Obligation for onshore wind on the cost of capital for (a) onshore wind projects and (b) wider renewables investment.

The impact assessment (IA) of 8^th September sets out the evidence used to inform the 18^th June 2015 announcement that the Government would legislate to close the RO to new onshore wind from 1st April 2016 – a year earlier than previously planned.

After the announcement DECC undertook an engagement exercise with hundreds of industry representatives, including developers and investors. DECC is carefully reviewing the feedback provided during the engagement exercise and the IA will be updated when that work has finished.