Ed Miliband has approved a sweeping expansion of renewable energy projects across the UK, backing solar farms that could cover an area of farmland close to the size of Manchester, alongside dozens of new onshore wind developments.

On Tuesday, the energy secretary awarded consumer-funded subsidies to 134 new solar farms across England and a further 23 in Wales and Scotland. He also approved 28 large onshore wind projects, mainly located on hillsides in Scotland and Wales.

Among the schemes given the green light is the vast West Burton solar farm on prime agricultural land on the Lincolnshire–Nottinghamshire border, as well as one of the UK’s most northerly solar developments on farmland in north Aberdeenshire. Miliband has also approved England’s largest onshore wind project in a decade, the 20 megawatt Imerys Wind Farm on a former mining site in Cornwall.

Under the government’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) regime, operators of the new projects will receive a guaranteed minimum price for the electricity they generate for up to 20 years after becoming operational, with the difference funded through levies on consumer energy bills.

The announcement was welcomed by renewable energy developers and industry groups, who argue that large-scale solar and onshore wind are among the cheapest ways to generate new electricity.

However, countryside and community campaigners warned that the decision risks long-term damage to farmland and rural landscapes.

Claire Coutinho, Labour’s shadow energy secretary, said the subsidies would ultimately raise household bills. “The true cost of this power, once you add in network charges and back-up, is far higher,” she said. “All this will do is make electricity more expensive, when what we need is cheaper power to support growth and living standards.”

The approvals include 4.9 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity, 1.3GW of onshore wind and four experimental tidal schemes totalling 21 megawatts. They follow confirmation earlier this month of subsidies for 8.4GW of offshore wind capacity.

Campaign groups argue that the land impact of solar is being underestimated. Rosie Pearson, chair of the Community Planning Alliance, said: “This represents further destruction of countryside and best farmland while warehouse roofs, car parks and houses sit empty of solar panels. Add the pylons that accompany these schemes and rural areas are being industrialised.”

Based on previous developments, the solar farms approved could cover more than 40 square miles of mainly agricultural land, close to the size of Manchester, which spans about 45 square miles. The solar industry counters that improved panel efficiency could reduce the final land take to around 36 square miles, roughly equivalent to Stoke-on-Trent.

Concerns were also raised about the pace of onshore wind development in Scotland. Helen Crawford of the Highland Community Council Convention on Major Energy Infrastructure said communities were being left behind by planning decisions. “The lack of strategic spatial planning has created a democratic deficit between communities and policymakers,” she said.

Industry bodies rejected claims that the projects would push up costs. James Robottom of RenewableUK said new onshore wind would protect consumers from volatile gas prices, while Chris Hewett, chief executive of Solar Energy UK, described the approvals as “proof positive” that solar delivers the cheapest available power.

Miliband defended the decision, saying the expansion would strengthen energy security and cut bills over the long term. “By backing solar and onshore wind at scale, we’re driving bills down for good and protecting families and businesses from the fossil-fuel rollercoaster controlled by petrostates and dictators,” he said.

Under the latest CfD terms, new onshore wind farms will receive a minimum price of £75.50 per megawatt hour (MWh) in today’s prices, while solar projects will receive £68.17 per MWh. That compares with market prices of around £60 per MWh for electricity expected to be delivered in summer 2028.

The Office for Budget Responsibility has previously warned that CfD levies on consumer and business energy bills are projected to rise from £2.3 billion in 2024–25 to around £5 billion by 2030–31, intensifying the political debate over who ultimately pays for the UK’s clean energy transition.

Jamie Young

Jamie is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, bringing over a decade of experience in UK SME business reporting.
Jamie holds a degree in Business Administration and regularly participates in industry conferences and workshops.

When not reporting on the latest business developments, Jamie is passionate about mentoring up-and-coming journalists and entrepreneurs to inspire the next generation of business leaders.

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Page, Brin, Ellison, Thiel, Sacks — and now, Zuckerberg.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the latest California billionaire heading for Florida, snapping up a massive waterfront mansion in Miami’s exclusive “Billionaire Bunker,” as Golden State lawmakers push a proposed 5% tax on the ultra-wealthy.

Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, are buying a newly built mansion on Indian Creek, one of the area’s most expensive enclaves. The deal has not been confirmed as closed, sources with knowledge of the transaction told The Wall Street Journal, but neighbors said Zuckerberg plans to move in by April — signaling a relocation rather than a vacation home.

“People like Zuckerberg plan three moves ahead. That billionaire tax chatter has a lot of Palo Alto owners doing real math. If you’re staring at a potential 5% hit tied to net worth, Florida becomes a business decision. And Indian Creek is the clearest signal you’re serious, because it’s built for privacy and control,” Troy Dean Home CEO Troy Ippolito told Fox News Digital in reaction.

PETER THIEL DONATES $3M TO GROUP FIGHTING PROPOSED CALIFORNIA BILLIONAIRE TAX

“This is a loud signal that South Florida is a primary market now. When someone at Zuckerberg’s level buys here, it changes buyer psychology overnight,” he continued. “If that tax actually moves forward, you’ll see the impact first at the very top, because there’s so little true trophy inventory.”

Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg at the WSJ. Magazine 2025 Innovator Awards held at The Museum of Modern Art on October 29, 2025, in New York, New York. (Getty Images)

The nearly 2-acre property is estimated to be worth $150 million to $200 million, based on comparable sales, and the reported seller is a limited liability company tied to Jersey Mike’s Subs founder Peter Cancro.

Cancro cashed out big in 2024 when he sold a majority stake in Jersey Mike’s to Blackstone for $8 billion, including debt. His home sale to Zuckerberg was off-market, a common move for ultra-wealthy buyers seeking privacy.

Aerial views of the property show that it sits across Biscayne Bay and features a private dock, wraparound terraces, lush landscaping, a waterfront pool, charming blue shutters and other elaborate amenities. The estate joins Zuckerberg’s already extensive real estate portfolio in places like Lake Tahoe and Palo Alto in California, and Kauai, Hawaii.

“It’s one entrance, tightly controlled, and only about 41 homes. You’re minutes from Miami, but it feels isolated. If you’re a global name, and you want a truly private backyard, this is as close as it gets,” Ippolito said.

Meta did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for confirmation or comment.

Some of Zuckerberg’s new neighbors on Indian Creek include Jeff Bezos, Tom Brady, Carl Icahn, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, David Guetta, Julio Iglesias, Jaime Gilinski and Edward Lampert.

Zuckerberg’s move comes on the heels of other notable, longtime California-based billionaires who have solidified residency in South Florida in response to a proposed California wealth tax.

Though the initiative has not yet received the required 875,000 signatures to qualify for the November ballot, the proposal — backed by the Service Employees International Union–United Healthcare Workers West — would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of California residents with assets exceeding $1 billion.

The tax would be due in 2027, and taxpayers could spread payments over five years, with additional costs, according to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office.

If voters approve the measure, anyone who was a California resident on Jan. 1, 2026, would owe the tax, according to the proposal’s language.

Many South Florida real estate agents have told Fox News Digital that since the new year, a fresh wave of buyer interest has flooded in from California, with increased calls and broker website traffic.

“There’s a few other very big founders and also tech giants and also venture capitalist firms, the heads of which I’ve also moved here,” luxury real estate broker Julian Johnston of The Corcoran Group previously said. “It was always a layover, one night, an event, but Miami’s changed a lot in the last 10 years. It’s culturally more interesting… They said they were quite happy to move here and then see what happens in the next few years.”

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“One client said, ‘You know, this could be like a $5 billion tax for me,’” he recalled. “So they’re moving because of that.”

“Florida feels predictable. You have a clearer tax picture, fewer hurdles, and a much easier day-to-day,” Ippolito weighed in. “A lot of buyers feel like California treats them like a target. Florida treats them like they belong here.”

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