SIMPLY HOLDING US BACK

Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts has drawn attention to the disparity between the UK Government’s intention to devolve further energy powers to Wales and the insufficient capacity currently available on the National Grid to accommodate new energy generation projects.

Liz Saville Roberts MP has called on both the UK and Welsh Governments to urgently ensure grid capacity is upgraded, so that efforts to increase energy generation in Wales, including renewable schemes, are not prevented from being implemented.

Under the Draft Wales Bill, energy schemes of up to 350MW would be devolved to the National Assembly, but there is currently no control over capacity where transmission is in question.    

Speaking ahead of questions to the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change tomorrow (Thursday 07.01.16), Liz Saville Roberts MP said,

“Plaid Cymru has repeatedly called for power over major energy projects to be devolved to the Welsh Government, with a particular desire to increase Wales’ renewable capacity, such as tidal schemes.

But as things stand, the UK’s ageing National Grid network is known to cause transmission problems for new energy projects.  

Given the UK Government's intention to devolve further energy consenting powers to the National Assembly for Wales, it’s vitally important that the Secretary of State works with the Welsh Government to ensure Grid capacity is upgraded and efforts to develop new energy generation projects are not held up by capacity issues with the National Grid in Wales.

Community energy groups wishing to generate renewable energy are prevented from doing so by the extortionate fees they are charged to upgrade the grid.

We require a concerted effort from both Government and energy providers so that potential energy generation schemes don’t fall foul at the first hurdle. Plaid Cymru is committed to an energy plan that is green and that can power Wales’ economic renewal and meet our global obligations in combatting climate change, but to do that we require the infrastructure and energy capacity which we are currently lacking.

Plaid Cymru is committed to making Wales self-sufficient in renewable electricity by 2035 if we form the Welsh Government. The Party has pledged to publish its route map to 2035 within 100 days of forming the next Welsh Government in May.”

OUR NATURAL RESOURCES

For too long our natural resources have been run for the benefit of others with few real or lasting benefits trickling down to the people of Wales. The final say on how our natural resources are exploited and developed should be the responsibility of the Welsh people (and the Welsh Government) and any profits or dividends should directly benefit the people who live here. Our water resources including the responsibility for sewerage for the whole territory of Wales should be the responsibility of the Welsh Government. The Crown Estate remains unaccountable to the people of Wales and all profits from its holdings (which includes on and off shore wind farms) are passed to the UK Westminster Government. Profits from these holdings are likely to grow significantly mostly due to the growing demand for renewable energy. Ownership and control over the Crown Estates in Wales should be transferred to the Welsh Government.

PROFITS BEFORE PEOPLE

The news that the ‘Big Six’ energy cartel members are set to double their profit margins over the next year (and this is according to estimates by the regulator, Ofgem) probably won’t surprise anyone. Back in 2013, Ofgem estimated that suppliers would make an average pre-tax profit of £53 per dual fuel customer (a margin of 4%). Now, in the year ahead Ofgem expects the energy firms to make £106 per customer (increasing their margin to 8%). Naturally the cartel members have accused Ofgem of releasing inaccurate figures.

Ofgem has said that it was further evidence that the market was not working as well as it should. The big six (and the profits they make) have already been referred to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Ofgem has also written to the suppliers asking why the falls in wholesale prices last winter have not resulted in lower bills for hard-pressed energy customers.

As part of the on-going struggle with the ‘Big Six’, Ofgem has also announced that electricity customers will see an average reduction of £12 a year on their bills, from April 2015. This follows plans to limit the prices that can be charged by Britain's six distribution companies, which carry power to homes and businesses. The price curbs could affect 29 million English, Scottish and Welsh energy customers. Ofgem's plans will also see the distribution companies spend £ 17 billion pounds to upgrade their networks. The distribution element makes up about 8% of a typical dual-fuel bill and is the only part controlled directly by Ofgem.

Five out of the six network companies (UK Power Networks, Northern Power Grid, SP Energy Networks, SSE Power Distribution and Electricity North West) were ordered by Ofgem to cut their prices. So far, only Western Power Distribution had its pricing and investment plans approved by Ofgem. The new energy prices will apply for eight years, from April 2015 until 2023. Ofgem will announce a final decision on the proposals in November 2014 after carrying out a consultation.

While this may bring a crumb of comfort to hard-pressed customers, it fails to address the fundamental problem with the so-called energy free market. The ‘Big Six’ can do because they are pretty much free from any meaningful and effective regulation. Any criticisms that may periodically emanate from Westminster can be pretty much ignored as the Westminster based political parties have little appetite to reform the deeply flawed energy market and even less inclination to curb the excesses of the ‘Big Six’ energy cartel members.

Meanwhile, in Wales, Plaid has been argued the case for the establishment of a ‘not for dividend profit’ company, simular to Glas Cymru which works within our water industry. This would firmly ensure that customers come before shareholders dividends and the City of London. An all Wales ‘not for dividend profit’ energy company would mean that all the profits would be reinvested back into the energy sector in our country. This would also ensure that Welsh families, households and small and larger businesses get a good deal on their energy and our country will end up with secure sustainable energy supplies.

SLEEPLESS IN MINSK

Sleepless nights in Minsk?

The real message of the Ukrainian revolution (and Russia’s ongoing attempt to annex the Crimea) despite the best efforts of the Kremlin and some of the energy compromised Middle Europeans to muddy the waters, remains crystal clear. Putting aside the minutiae of Ukrainian politics recent events in Ukraine have been shown those Russians and Belarusians who are bitterly opposed to the corrupt self-serving oligarchies that run Ukraine’s near neighbours what is possible.  It would be nice to think that events in Kyiv have caused more than a few sleepless nights amongst the oligarchic political elite in both Moscow and Minsk. People in Kyiv united to remove Viktor Yanukovych, who contrary to the Kremlin’s spin, appears to have had been caught bang to rights with both hands well and truly in the till. The interesting thing is what can work in Kyiv (admittedly at a price) can work equally successfully in Moscow, Minsk or elsewhere, this is something that even a hastily activated (but perhaps long planned) crisis in the Crimea cannot hide.

After the revolution comes austerity?

The knowledge, that at some point in the future they may face the consequences for their actions (not to mention consequences for helping themselves to former state assets) may lead to hopefully more than a few sleepless nights. The problem for Ukraine, despite the revolution and the Russian occupation of the Crimea may only just be beginning. Now the immediate Crimean crisis is grim enough, but faced by an end to relatively easy credit, cheap energy supplies (at least on Russian terms)  and the consequences of having the state coffers plundered by Yanukovych (and his supporters) there is now a serious fiscal crisis. The EU, the USA and the World Bank have offered to help out financially, but, this help will come with a hefty price tag. The austerity (and reconstruction) package will bring in some eye watering cuts to pensions, government services and subsidized fuel prices, etc. Beyond the immediate eye watering ouch, the austerity package is something that could doom any future democratically elected Ukrainian government at future elections. 

WHATEVER IT IS I AM AGAINST IT!

When it comes to the devolution of control of our countries natural resources, the Silk recommendations are quire far reaching, with recommendations in relation to energy, water, the Crown estates and marine licensing (both inshore and off shore). This may explain why some of the usual Red Tory suspects, following perhaps the politics of Groucho Marx rather than Karl, are against it. Taken as a whole, if they are accepted by Westminster, the recommendations will both stabilise and develop the devolutionary settlement as it applies to Wales.

In relation to energy, Silk has recommend that all energy planning consents (non-renewable and renewable) below 350 MW should be devolved (currently the threshold is 100 MW). I can see no reason why the National Assembly's powers over planning consent for energy developments to projects generating 350 MW or less should be limited. The Commission recommended that the UK Government should have a statutory duty to take account of Welsh planning policies when exercising its retained responsibilities for larger projects – this perhaps might be a first.

Silk has also recommended that responsibility for issuing marine licences in Welsh offshore waters should be devolved. The Welsh Government should receive parity with Scotland and Northern Ireland for the proposed Contracts for Difference from 2017. Things get particularly interesting when it comes to control of water resources, with Silk recommending that the boundary for legislative competence should be aligned with the national border, with further work to assess costs and benefits for consumers and the industry.

The news that the Secretary of State’s intervention powers in relation to water should be removed in favour of a formal intergovernmental protocol should remove yet another ‘negative’ power from a cabinet position that is rapidly losing any real relevance. Along with finally sorting out the remaining water related anomalies, further powers over sewerage are also recommended to be devolved to the National Assembly, which makes sense.

At first glance, the Silk recommendations in relation the accountability of the Crown Estates, don’t necessarily appear to amount to much, but, potentially further down the line they may well have a significant impact in conjunction with the other recommended transfer of powers in relation to energy and water resources. Silk has recommended that in relation to the Crown Estate, a Welsh Crown Estate Commissioner should be appointed, in consultation with the Welsh Government.

This is a sensible step which should enable the potential for investment in Wales to be maximised, the new Commissioner should be supported by a Crown Estate office in Wales, subject to meeting value-for-money criteria. Silk has also recommended that the existing executive responsibilities of Welsh Ministers for marine conservation and licensing in the Welsh inshore area should be extended to the Welsh offshore area.

All in all, if the recommendations are accepted by Westminster (and the devolution of further powers actually takes place) in relation to energy, water, offshore responsibilities and the Crown estates then a significant step will have been taken towards giving the National Assembly the tools to do the job. While I think that we should wholeheartedly welcome the Silk commission’s recommendation of devolution of extra powers, but, find that part of me wonders what might have accomplished in Wales, if we had the tools to do the job and the political will.

A WELSH NATIONAL ENERGY FIRM

Plaid Cymru Shadow Energy Minister Llyr Gruffydd has rightly called for a new Welsh energy company to break the stranglehold of the Big Six energy cartel members on the energy market. Wales needs a ‘not for dividend profit’ company, along the lines of the way Glas Cymru works within our water industry. This would firmly ensure that customers come before shareholders dividends and the City of London. An all Wales ‘not for dividend profit’ energy company  would mean that all the profits would be reinvested back into the energy sector in our country. This would ensure that Welsh families, households and small and larger businesses get a good deal on their energy and our country will end up with secure sustainable energy supplies. 

Plaid Cymru Shadow Energy Minister Llyr Gruffydd said:

“For far too long, the big six energy companies have hiked their prices when the wholesale cost of energy goes up but don’t bring it down when they reduce.

“A Welsh national energy company, an Ynni Cymru, would follow the same successful model as Glas Cymru has done in the water industry.

“This Welsh energy company would buy gas and electricity at wholesale prices and sell direct to Welsh consumers and businesses.

“The company could be set up by the government at arms-length.

“Profits made would be used for protecting consumers from volatile wholesale prices and introducing energy efficiency measures to keep costs down for families and households.

“When we see that gas price hikes were the highest in Europe in 2011, and have risen consistently, then it is clear that families have not been best served by the private energy market.

“Plaid Cymru believes that we should move towards a system where investment and long-term development take priority ahead of shareholders’ profits.

“That is why at our party conference this weekend we will be having detailed discussion about the energy industry, including how we can ensure best value for hard-pressed families and a long-term energy policy for Wales.”

NOW THAT’S AN IDEA!

One idea that could catch on here is the community purchase of energy – individually we may get regularly fleeced by the energy companies, but, a collective purchase of energy may mean that we can cut a better deal with the energy suppliers. The idea of collective buying of energy has been tried for the first time in Cornwall where it has saved households on average £130 per year on their fuel bills.

The scheme, Cornwall Together, aims to help households across the county save an estimated £3.7 million through cheaper energy tariffs. If things go according to plan it is hoped more than 20,000 people across Cornwall may be able to reduce their energy bills by 10-15%. This may be first time an entire community county has united to buy energy more cheaply, enabling it to also tackle economic problems, encourage environmental sustainability and improve people’s health and well-being.

Basically Residents register their interest with the scheme to find a cheaper energy tariff, providing details of their current fuel bills. Then Cornwall Together will negotiate on behalf of all those that have registered to get best value tariffs. As well as identifying best value deals, wherever possible a green energy option will be offered. For each energy switch, 10% of the total money saved will be put back into a fuel poverty fund which will benefit the whole county. Cornwall Together will then seek match-funding from other organisations.

The scheme was conceived by the Eden Project, Cornwall Together was originally pioneered by Cornwall Council, the NHS, Community Energy Plus and Community Buying UnLtd. They have been joined by delivery partners energyshare – the community renewable energy platform – and uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service. St Austell Brewery and Unison are also supporting the scheme, promoting it to their staff and also helping Cornwall Together reach vulnerable members of the community.

Collectively, Cornish households currently spend around £1.2 billion pounds on energy each year. According to the NHS approximately some 25% of these households in Cornwall are in fuel poverty. Across the UK the average household energy bill has risen by 140% a year since 2004 (from £ 522 to £ 1,254 pounds per year). Cornwall Together aims to secure cheaper energy bills for residents, helping to reduce fuel poverty in the county – and its associated health risks.

The idea of collective buying of energy may be catching on, as Consumer Futures (the new National Consumer Council) wants the Welsh government to promote collective switching to help fight fuelpoverty.  Merthyr Valleys Housing is currently talking to its tenants about starting a scheme. While community purchasing of energy is not a perfect solution to the problem of high energy costs it may well be an idea that is coming into its own and may provide a degree of protection from the worst excesses of the alleged free market for energy. 

ENERGY INDEPENDENT BY 2050

Denmark has announced that it will be 100% energy independent by the year 2050. The country has ambitious plans for alternative energy, which have only recently gained the favour of Denmark's leaders. In previous years, Denmark has considered energy independence and alternative energy in general as a novelty. The country has changed its perspective as alternative energy technology has grown more advanced and efficient. Denmark now has plans to expand its use of solar, wind and biomass energy.

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WINNERS AND LOSERS

News that one of the 'Big Six' is due to announce a raise in profits at a time when many people are trying to avoid or to live with fuel poverty is never going to go down well with hard presser domestic energy customers. On Thursday Centrica (who own British Gas)are expected to reveal a group operating profit of £2.5 billion pounds, up four percent on 2010.

This unfortunately timed announcement comes against a backdrop of growing fuel poverty, which affects around 5.5 million households in the UK. Fuel poverty is defined as being when a household spends more than ten percent of their disposable income on gas and electricity. Fuel poverty is one of those things that the previous (and former) New Labour Government and the current Con Dem Government have done nothing about.

Nothing has been done or will be done to curb or regulate excessive profits from the energy companies via windfall tax. The talk about customers benefiting from dual fuel bills, etc, is mere distraction. What we have here is a dual political failure that speaks volumes as to how far both the former New Labour Government and the Conservatives (and their Lib Dem coat holders) have gone to drop even the pretence of standing up for the interests of ordinary people in favour of courting the City.

For growing numbers of ordinary people this winter it has come down to a choice of heat or eat, literally choosing between putting food on the table and heating their home. The only winners here are HM Government (with extra tax)and the big six energy companies (with fat profits) all of us as customers are losing hand over fist as the energy cartel ramps up its profits - I have not doubt over coming months that the rest of them perhaps slightly shamefaced (or perhaps not) will ever so quietly announce their profits as well.

EMPTY PROMISES

When it comes to one of the old imagined rules of the political game, never to promise what you have no intention of delivering save to try an gain votes, the three main London based parties stand guilty as charged. Particularly when it comes to energy, all three of them pledged to raise the MW threshold for planning control of energy projects in Wales to varying degrees, yet all have done next to nothing to try to deliver.

Back in April, much was promised, including:

Welsh Conservative Manifesto 2011:

“[Will] continue to make the case for devolving power over energy projects up to 100 MW.”

Welsh Labour Manifesto 2011:

“Continue to seek responsibility for renewable energy consents up to 100MW on both sea and land, enabling Wales to move quicker in providing clean energy solutions for all.”

Welsh Lib Dems Manifesto 2011:

“We will also examine whether new areas of responsibility, such as powers regarding policing or large-scale energy generation can deliver improved results for the people of Wales. Specifically, we will make the case for powers over larger energy projects and policing and justice.”

Promises are clearly one thing, clearly actions another, recently the Con Dem Government energy minister Greg Barker announced that the coalition government would reserve these powers in Westminster, so much for manifesto promises made by the UK coalition parties to the Welsh electorate. This means that the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change will take control of energy powers currently held by the shortly to be disbanded Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), so much for democratic accountability.

In the last Welsh General election, the Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems all made the case for further devolution of energy powers, yet these were mere empty promises. The local Welsh franchise of the London based Lib Dems and Tories from Wales have been shown to have zero influence on their masters in London, just like Labour in Wales during the Blair and Brown years.

At the moment the National Assembly has the power to control or give permission for new or increased electricity generating stations up to 50MW. This arbitrary limit has been imposed on Wales for no particular reason; oddly enough the Scottish people have complete control over the utilisation of their resources. At the moment there are two separate energy agendas operating in Wales. Why should an energy project with 49MW generating capacity be decided on by the Assembly one over 51MW by the Secretary of State in Westminster?

Now Plaid rightly opposed the creation of the IPC because it was undemocratic when was brought in as part of New Labour’s 2008 Planning Act. And Plaid also rightly welcomed the decision to pull the plug on it, but understandably not the lack of clarity as to where those powers should sit?

There is no justification for denying the Welsh people parity with Scotland when it comes to control of the planning process for energy developments. The bottom line is that control of natural resources and energy policy should be devolved to Wales for reasons of simple common sense and simple practicality, or perhaps as far as the London based parties are concerned Wales simply does not matter or count.

SLEEPWALKING FOR WALES?

It should be pretty clear by now that if Plaid does not stand up for Wales then no one will. The new Labour government in Cardiff appears to be more concerned with simply being there than doing anything of value (this could also be said for most Labour run councils as well). Rather quietly Labour have begun to drop those Plaid driven transport infrastructure projects that improved communications from south to north in favour of east to west infrastructure projects.

Now I used to think that this merely down to a lack of imagination, but, have changed my mind, aside from having a Welsh government almost entirely bereft of imagination, direction, etc. What we actually have is (ironically) a Welsh government that does not even believe in the nation. They will take extra powers it they are offered, but, will never ask for them, they are content to simply sit and wait for Labour to regain political control at Westminster, and even then they won't seek any additional powers or fair funding.

Rather than standing up for Wales, what we have we have a government that is literally sleepwalking for Wales, or almost certainly seeking to redefine inertia. Wales has a government that representing a party, rather than the people, that never wanted an assembly in the first place, and certainly did not want a referendum on more powers (let alone a successful one).

Labour in Wales has been pretty good at representing and protecting Westminster's interests in Wales, rather than representing Wales's interests in Westminster. It is a telling indictment on Labour in Wales that Carwyn's lot would rather decisions on economic development, the media and energy be made here in Wales by the Welsh people.

PAYING THE PRICE?

When it comes to developing (or devolving) energy resources there is always a price, either paid for by the indigenous inhabitants (i.e. us) and / or by the environment. The snipping between Westminster and Cardiff Bay over the 50 MW rule is only a symptom of a greater problem - our ever increasing need for and our dependency on the energy we need to make our society function. The extraction of oil form the tars sands of Alberta, the extraction of fractured gas (from under parts of the south of Wales) or the construction of wind farms (largely run by and for the profits of companies based out side of Wales) all comes with a price that someone (often local people) end up paying.

Some of these potential energy resources are costly in a variety of ways, not just environmentally - if the basic rule of thumb (even with relatively high prices per barrel in the case of oil) is one unit of energy in for the ten units of energy out - then some of the prosed developments and their returns are marginal at best. In the case of tar sands to extract one barrel of oil, you need to burn 1,400 cubic feet (US) of natural gas, to polluter 250 gallons (US) of fresh water (and then store or clean the polluted water) and emit over 220 pounds (US) of carbon dioxide. Incidentally (and just for the record) in 2009/2010 the USA used some 19 million barrels of oil per day.

The environmental price for fractured gas is equally grim, and if this goes a head we will all get to live with the residual environmental pollution for years and years afterwards and see scant medium to long term benefits and get parts of our country and some of our communities trashed as part of the process. The palpable anger in parts of Mid Wales over the development of Wind farms and the electricity grid to carry the energy away is only the start - this row is going to rumble on, the reason I say this is that fundamentally the decisions about developing energy resources in Wales are being made in Westminster and fundamentally the development to communities across the length and breadth of Wales.

Glyn Davies, the much respected Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire (and former AM) has somewhat honestly said that his constituents should target their protests at Westminster rather than Cardiff Bay, which if nothing else is a backhanded and belated recognition of the fact that decision making over energy development and energy policy is made outside of Wales. Basically its not for us (the Welsh People) to decide or to benefit form decision made outside of Wales, but, we will have to live day in day out with the consequences - that state of affairs is something the voters of Montgomery and the voters of Bridgend may come to regret along with the rest of us.

THE GREAT GAS PRICE RIPOFF

The new report by Customer Focus (the Energy watchdog) makes interesting reading as it flags up an interesting fact, in that the energy suppliers have not been fully passing on declines in wholesale costs to their customers - which means that Customers are being overcharged by an average of £74 on their annual energy bills.

Despite some recent fluctuations in price, Crude oil has fallen from $147 a barrel in July last year to about $70 a barrel. No one is disputing that the six main energy suppliers have not cut their prices since the beginning of the year, but Consumer Focus research suggests that current gas bills should be at least 7.4% cheaper (£60.10 annually) and electricity bills at least 3.1% cheaper (£13.80 annually).

Customer Focus’s new research for the first time shows the reality, that the energy companies are pocketing £1.6bn extra, while millions of households struggle to make ends meet. Consumer Focus says its research, based on applying hedging strategies outlined by the energy regulator Ofgem, shows that energy suppliers are overcharging customers by a combined £1.66bn this year.

The Energy companies who have reaped a 500% increase in profits over the last five years have been quick to blame rising oil and gas prices, and quick to rake in the profits, as the average annual dual fuel bill has risen from £662 a year in 2005 to 1,048 in 2007. The New Labour Government has been more than happy to rake in the extra tax revenues and the Energy companies have been equally slow to pass on reductions in energy costs to their customers – the only real losers in this happy picture are the energy customers.

So what we have here is an effective monopoly on energy supply in the UK; the number of energy supply companies has fallen from twenty two to six in the last ten years, with less that £30 differential between all of the energy supply companies, which works out to be no more than a few pence a week difference in bills, what we have is an energy cartel which brings minimal benefit to hard pressed energy customers but maximum gain to it's members. Hmmmm....

Energy indepedence - the only game in town!

While energy prices can go up and down in the short-term, the long term trend is always (at least for hydro-carbons) going to be upwards, this is something that is unavoidable due to increasing demands for more energy, a growing poplulation and the relative short term limit to the earth's hydro carbon fuel reserves. Anyone with half a brain should be able to plot this trend and note the medium and long-term consequences of being depdendent upon energy resources that you don't actually control.

Anyone awake in the current New Labour Westminster Government should be working with the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to develop a hands on energy strategy that will lead to an end to dependency on unstable overseas energy sources and dubious suppliers and lead to energy independence.

You would have thought that Vladimir Putin's decision a few months ago to reduce further gas exported into Ukraine, through which 80 per cent of Russian gas exports to the EU flows, would have highlighted the real dangers of relying on imported energy.

While Russia has declining cash reserves and its economy is heavily reliant on its trade in gas – the risk of shortages as a consequence of Mr Putin's geopolitical games is something we can truly all do without.

While other countries have attempted to protect themselves against external shocks to their energy needs; the UK’s market driven approach has been proven to be entirely inadequate. France can store 122 days of gas and Germany 99.

Yet the UK has storage capacity to last only 15 days; the New Labour Government took almost a decade to recognise the need to increase storage capacity. The consequence is that UK has to sell gas during the summer because we cannot store it but UK energy suppliers struggle to purchase gas again when it is needed in the winter.

The complicit insanity of the Conservative’s headlong dash to gas in the 1980’s has been compounded by a real failure in basic strategic energy planning and made worse by the current Government's perverse decision to half-heartdly look at developing diverse reliable alternative energy sources. The current New Labour Government has ignored repeated warnings that it was setting the UK on a path towards higher prices and blackouts.

Over the next six years almost all of our old nuclear reactors, along with nine major coal and oil-fired power stations, will be closed, with nothing ready to replace them. We are now in the situation where we are now even more dependent upon imported gas from either unstable regions or dubious suppliers and we the customers face unnecessarily expensive bills.

As a matter of urgency the Westminster Government, the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly should work with the Irish Government to make these islands entirely self sufficient via renewable non market driven energy resources.

By developing a flexible self-sufficient energy development strategy that encourages decentralised microgeneration schemes and by actually implementing it this could not only create jobs, it could create useful skills and actually help to bootstrap the economy out of the developing recession as well as helping consumers.

In Wales, we need real direction when it comes to the development of safe and secure energy resources, power generation can provide the potential for real sustainable long term job opportunities; the renewable energy sector can and should play an immensely important role in creating more green energy jobs.

We need to create a decentralised power generation system which will create sustainable long-term jobs for local people, not damage the environment and contribute to providing our local communities with a long-term viable economic energy future, that’s the real future dividend for our communities.