6 months ago
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The Welsh Nuclear Free Local Authorities have welcomed this week’s report from an advisory body to the Welsh Government which establishes a roadmap of eleven actions that should be taken by ministers to ensure that 100% of the electricity consumed by the nation comes from renewable energy sources by 2050.
The ‘Preparing Wales for a Renewable Energy 2050’ report was produced by the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales. Established in 2018 as an independent and non-statutory body, the Commission advises the devolved administration on the ‘most pressing’ immediate and longer-term economic and environmental infrastructure challenges facing the nation.
The eleven recommendations contained in the report are intended to assist Welsh Government ministers to achieve their ambitious goal to create a renewable Wales by the middle of this century, and the Welsh NFLAs were delighted to see that they largely mirror our own previous suggestions for action.
The recommendations https://nationalinfrastructurecommission.wales/renewable2050/ appear at the end of this media release.
Welsh NFLA Chair, Councillor Sue Lent, said: “The Nuclear Free Local Authorities have previously commended the Welsh Government for adopting a policy position of working towards consuming the nation’s electricity solely from renewable sources, and we support their plan to create a new national renewable energy generating company.
“This report calls for a ‘vision for energy in Wales’ to be established by 2025. We have been strong advocates for the installation of renewable technologies in Welsh homes, ‘making every home a power station’, and community and public buildings as a further move towards achieving energy independence and reducing our carbon footprint, and we welcome the plan to provide further support to renewable energy co-operatives through new legislation.
“We also advocate that first and foremost we must look to reduce energy consumption, and this means building new homes, commercial and public buildings with insulation and energy efficiency measures ‘baked in. and initiating a programme of retrofitting insultation to our existing stock.
“However, this vision needs to go beyond renewable electricity generation and demand management because we also need to look to address the challenge of decarbonising domestic heating systems and business energy consumption and creating a comprehensive green public transport network. The Welsh NFLAs would welcome a chance to shape that”.
The NFLAs were also delighted to see reference to the need to improve grid connections and for the potential for the new Welsh Freeports to become renewable energy ‘centres of excellence’ as these are both prospects that the network have raised in the past.
However, for Councillor Lent, the ‘nuclear’ elephant in the room remains unacknowledged.
“Nuclear will come too late and at too great a cost to address the cost-of-living crisis and arrest the ravages of climate change. Why then is the Welsh Government insistent on backing Westminster’s plans to redevelop Wylfa for nuclear and investing in Cwmni Egino at Trawsfynydd when these actions are completely contrary to achieving the green ambition, when the electricity generated will go to English consumers, and when many more green jobs could be created much quicker and much more cheaply through investment solely in renewables?”
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For further information about this media release please contact NFLA Secretary Richard Outram by email to richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk or telephone 07583097793
Notes to Editors
A summary of the recommendations from the report:
Leadership and Strategic approach
- By 2025, the Welsh Government should present a vision for energy in Wales to 2050, with an accompanying Strategy and Action Plan to set out its long-term ambition. This should include detail on renewable energy production and grid development. These should be informed by extensive public engagement which use recognised methodologies for maximum effect. The implementation of this Vision should be overseen by a cross-Government / sector group, chaired by the Minister.
A Grid Fit for a Future Wales
- By 2025, planning for the electricity grid in Wales should be based on policy considerations as well as functionality. A shift is needed for grid planning to consider the needs of Wales and be strategically developed with a long-term view.
- By 2025, Ofgem should reform the system that plans for and delivers grid access for renewable energy to enable rapid deployment. Policy considerations should become a factor in determining grid connections. Innovative forms of grid development should also be encouraged.
The Built Environment
- An immediate review of Part L of the Building Regulations is needed to mandate the use of renewable technologies (especially solar thermal and solar photovoltaics) and battery storage in all new developments, and in significant renovations or extensions.
- Permitted development rights should be immediately reviewed with a specific focus on eliminating impediments to measures that increase renewable energy generation, with a shifted focus on the climate crisis.
Planning
- By 2025, where renewable energy planning applications (and associated regulatory regimes) have a mandated, statutory time allocation, decisions should default to a positive if the time allocation elapses with no response (‘positive silence’ approach).
- By 2025, a pooled planning resource for energy should be created to share expertise and technical skills for articulating planning policies, engaging with the public and considering planning applications.
Community benefits and ownership
- A Renewable Energy (Wales) Bill should be brought forward in the next Senedd to legislate to enable greater community ownership from renewable energy.
- Policy should require renewable energy developments to offer up elements of community ownership and repowering of sites should be greatly simplified but include community ownership requirements.
- The forthcoming Freeports initiative should be seen as an opportunity to allow more community renewable energy in a deregulated environment.
Crown Estate Cymru
- By 2030, The Crown Estate’s functions in Wales should be completely devolved to a new body that has as its principal aim the reinvestment of all funds in Wales for the long-term benefits of the people of Wales in the form of a Sovereign Wealth Fund.
