Zonal pricing has divided opinion as much as it might divide regions, but if plans were to be implemented the number of wind farms in the South of England could see a significant rise.

According to the Telegraph, Fintan Slye, the chief executive of the National Energy System Operator (Neso), has endorsed zonal pricing saying it will encourage developers to build wind farms in the South given the concept to place generation closer to use.

If Slye is right, then it would alleviate pressure on the grid and lead to a more distributed system, however some have expressed concerns that it could end up making some areas too expensive to continue hosting energy intensive industries and sectors. There are also concerns that any ‘rush’ to build wind farms in the South would impact on the environment.

As always, the Government will be keeping an eye on any likely backlash and weigh up the impact on voters.

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