On St David’s Day, NFLAs urge Welsh Government to do more to make Wales greener

Welsh Patron Saint David was born under a fierce storm, which to the Welsh Nuclear Free Local Authorities seems a good omen to urge Welsh Government Ministers to do more to harness the power of the wind and the nation’s other natural energy resources on this St David’s Day.

Welsh Government officials are conducting a consultation of their latest plans for renewable energy targets, with Ministers now aiming to meet 100% of the electricity consumption of the nation from renewables by 2035. At present, this figure is 55%, so the new target is ambitious, but the Welsh Government has recently committed to creating a state-owned renewable energy generator with the intention of establishing 1 GW in additional capacity through investment in wind, and there is a third target to have local communities invested in renewable energy projects.

The Welsh NFLA are supportive of these plans but believe that Ministers in Cardiff could go faster and further to do more in the face of the current energy crisis and the looming climate emergency.

In their submission to the consultation sent today, the NFLA are suggesting:

• More investment in energy efficiency and insulation to reduce bills and make homes warmer
• More support for householders and communities to generate electricity and heat at home or through community owned energy projects
• A greater emphasis on supporting micro hydroelectric schemes
• That Welsh citizens be given an opportunity to invest in the new state-owned energy company
• Expansion of the infrastructure to support the roll-out of electric vehicles, especially in rural areas
• More training for domestic energy installers
• Establishing a ‘Just Transition’ process to ensure jobs in green energy go to the Wylfa and Trawsfynydd communities which have historically been dependent on nuclear jobs
• Refocusing Cwmni Egino on making Trawsfynydd a centre for renewable energy technologies rather than nuclear power
• Creating an independent panel of experts to advise the Welsh Government on achieving their ambitions for renewable energy

Commenting, Councillor Sue Lent, Chair of the Welsh NFLAs, said: “The Welsh Government’s now recognises that it is possible to achieve the equivalent of 100% of the nation’s electricity consumption through renewable generation within 12 years. This proves that investing in new nuclear at Wylfa and Trawsfynydd is unnecessary, wasteful of public money and a distraction from getting on with what really matters – generating cheaper green energy now at a quarter of the cost of nuclear, and without the massive environmental damage or unwanted legacy of radioactive waste.”

Ends://…

Notes to Editors

Please direct enquiries to Richard Outram, NFLA Secretary, by email to richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk