The idea of repowering a significant number of the UK’s wind turbines is a seductive one. Having gone through the rigmarole of planning permission, including associated environmental checks and extensive public consultation, repowering ought to give operators the chance to make use of an existing site – on or offshore – but with modern equipment which should be capable of generating more energy with fewer turbines.

Given the current drive for low carbon energy security the issue of how to reshape and upgrade our energy system couldn’t be more pressing. This extends right across the supply chain, from generation to consumption and it’s a problem that can only get worse if the UK and indeed other countries don’t come up with more carefully crafted solutions. Repowered wind turbines that are more cost effective and have a hugely increased capacity should be playing more of a part.

‘We’ve got to electrify society,’ is how Octopus Energy boss Greg Jackson sums up the overall challenge. ‘This is not about net zero any more. This is about national security and energy costs.’ Inevitably, says Jackson and his peers, the next generation of wind farms must embrace new technology and the UK government probably needs to rethink its approach.