Labour’s Sustainability Minister, Jane Davidson, today said that Wales is at the forefront of moves towards a renewable energy future and welcomed the launch of the UK’s plan for a greener future today.
Wales' commitment to a low carbon future was outlined back in February this year when Welsh Assembly Government Environment, Sustainability and Housing Minister Jane Davidson announced Wales' own Renewable Energy Route Map consultation. The Route Map sets out how Wales can produce all its energy needs from renewables within 20 years.
Ms Davidson said: “Our own ambitious targets will make a significant contribution to the UK renewables target of 15% by 2020 by taking advantage of our tremendous renewable energy resources. We have abundant natural resources – wind, water and sun – which we can use to provide our future energy needs. We are already working very closely with BERR at Ministerial and officials levels on the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study.
“I am delighted to announce today that in Wales we have had an excellent response to our consultation from across the UK from a wide range of stakeholders including key groups with an interest in renewables such as Friends of the Earth and the Sustainable Development Commission. I broadly welcome the UK strategy and its strong agenda for greatly increasing the UK’s production of renewable energy.
“The UK document will directly affect Wales and will help our thinking on sustainable buildings and carbon emissions reductions targets. The document recognises the need for the UK, Welsh Assembly Governments and the other devolved administrations to work together. I encourage all sectors to engage and to contribute to the development of the UK Strategy.”
Areas where the Assembly Government will be looking to work closely with BERR will be the climate change agenda, energy efficiency, green jobs and renewable energy generation – the latter to cover large and small scale electricity and heat generation.
Wales’s Renewable Energy Route Map set out how as a small country Wales could make a big step on the path to making Wales a low carbon energy economy. It will help put Wales at the forefront of harnessing renewable energy, especially in respect of wind, biomass and microgeneration, and in the field of energy efficiency with the Assembly Government’s aim for all new buildings to be zero carbon by 2011 – which is five years ahead of the England target.
The Wales Route Map outlines an ambitious programme aimed at transforming the way Wales produces and uses energy as part of the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to tackling climate change. Among the many proposals addressed by the Wales Route Map are:
- Encouraging innovation to capture the tremendous power of the seas of Wales, from both waves and tides, with minimum environmental disturbance.
- Changes to planning guidance to make it easier for people to install wind turbines, solar panels and other micro generation technology to power and heat their homes and communities.
- Ensuring we make the most of our sustainable biomass resources, whether from our forests, crops or residual waste materials.
- Exploring the scope for developing innovative energy supply companies in Wales that could help us all invest in energy saving and micro-generation.
- Ensuring all new buildings in Wales are built to the highest possible low carbon standards, with the public sector showing the way now in want can be achieved. Our aim is for all new buildings to be zero carbon by 2011.
- Developing a strong ‘green jobs’ strategy to ensure we have the skills base to be a leader in renewable energy.
A copy of the Route Map can be found at: http://new.wales.gov.uk/consultations/closed/envandcouncloscons/renewenergymap/?lang=en
