IN NEED OF A RENEWABLES REVOLUTION

Wales is home to vast natural wealth but for too long, Westminster has benefited from the exploitation and export of our resources. Plaid Cymru wants to see control over these natural resources and major energy projects devolved from Westminster to the National Assembly so that the people of Wales benefit from them.

That way, we can dramatically increase our renewable energy capacity with a focus on tidal and hydro sources, and protect our communities from damaging Westminster policies such as fracking and over-reliance on fossil fuels. Plaid would also introduce a Climate Change Act for Wales, adopting challenging but achievable greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2030 and 2050.

Plaid Cymru believes that communities should be able to benefit more from energy generation. We want to see local people owning and investing in energy projects as has happened in Scotland. We would also look into establishing local power grids and a Wales-wide national energy grid to secure energy transmission around Wales, linking north and south entry points undersea.

Some 85,000 households in Wales fell into fuel poverty between 2011-2014 bringing the total to 450,000. In such an energy-rich nation this is nothing short of a disgrace. Plaid Cymru is committed to a fairer, greener, more prosperous Wales. Our plans would see Welsh resources being put to use in a manner that benefits our communities, our environment and our economy.

THE RAMSEY SOUND TIDAL ENERGY PROJECT

The Ramsey Sound Tiday Energy Project is being developed by Tidal Energy Ltd who are installing a single DeltaStream unit off the coast of Pembrokeshire at Ramsey Sound for 12 months. The project will demonstrate the capability of DeltaStream as a tidal stream generator and provide evidence on how the device and environment interact. While the project runs the device will be connected to the Local Distribution Network thus allowing the electricity generated by the device to contribute to the renewable energy targets of the Welsh Government. After 12 months, at the completion of the test, the device and all of its associated infrastructure will be removed from the site. Just imagine what we could do if we have a Government in Cardiff Bay that was actually concerned about developing our countries renewable energy resources for our benefit - Just a thought!

LONG TERM THINKING

In Northern Ireland there is clear evidence of some long term thinking as more than £ 44 million pounds has been approved to boost green energy generation including potentially some 1,000 megawatts of renewable wind generation. Some of the funding will go to improve the transmission network and sub stations. The Northern Ireland Executive has set a target of generating 40% of the Northern Ireland’s energy from renewable sources by 2020.

The Scottish Government revealed its new green energy target set at 50% of demand by 2015. The Scots have already surpassed their 31% target for 2001 by about 4%. The SNP Government has stated that the new target would help build on the current 11,000 jobs in green energy following a "bumper year" for investment, with projects estimated to be worth £2.3 billion pounds.

The Scottish government's new interim target for 2015 is included in a refreshed Routemap for Renewable Energy for Scotland. Sustainable energy generation has been boosted by the launch (in October 2012) of a £103 million pound fund for Scottish renewable energy projects. The Renewable Energy Investment Fund (REIF) is designed to attract more private investment to the sector. Scottish priorities include wave and tidal energy, and renewable district heating.

Meanwhile in Wales...yesterday the Welsh Labour in Wales Government yesterday woke from its post Welsh general election slumbers and demanded control of large-scale energy projects in Wales. Carwyn Jones now says that the Welsh Government should have the same powers as its counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland to set energy policy – it’s a pity that he did not ask for the powers when Labour had a majority in Westminster.

The truth is that Plaid’s Jonathan Edwards MP and his colleagues in Westminster have done more (since the last Westminster general election) to try to get energy policy devolved to Wales than the whole of the Labour Party in Westminster and the Labour in Wales Government in Cardiff. The party formerly known as New Labour has had plenty of opportunities to stand up for Wales; it has just chosen to put its own party interests before those of the Welsh nation.

TIME FOR ACTION ON FUEL AND ENERGY

The Con Dem Westminster government (in its recent budget) has failed to deal with the problem of soaring fuel prices something that it hitting all of us, but, has added impact on families and businesses in our rural areas. Plaid has again called for a fair fuel regulator which would cut fuel duty when prices spike unexpectedly by freezing the price at the pump. This week's Finance Bill includes no provision for tackling the cost of fuel, which is one of the main drivers of rising inflation. The Bill faced its second reading on Monday. Plaid Cymru and the SNP tabled a motion of opposition on the basis that the Finance Bill fails to address a crucial issue which is damaging economic growth. Fuel aside, this Westminster Government, which once claimed that it was ‘the Greenest Government ever’, has promised much but has delivered little, failing to tackle our over reliance on fossil fuels for energy generation by developing renewable energy.

Plaid Cymru’s Elfyn Llwyd MP said:

"The issue of fuel prices really is the elephant in the room as far as the Budget is concerned.

"Fuel prices are one of the main sources of rising inflation yet the Chancellor has failed to tackle this problem, instead choosing to introduce tax-cuts for the rich and slash payments for the elderly.

"The Coalition has yet again shown itself to be completely out of touch with ordinary people and failed to act on an issue which affects the vast majority of the UK population.

"Rising fuel prices are a great problem for families and businesses in my constituency.

"It seems that they keep going up, whatever the government claims they have done - and so does the fuel duty that they collect.

"Motorists in rural areas spend significantly more on fuel than those in urban areas. Figures from the Office for national Statistics also show that poorer families spend more of their income on petrol than richer families, so there is an earning effect as well through soaring fuel prices.

"After 7 years of Plaid pushing for a genuine fuel duty stabiliser, it is hugely disappointing to see that neither the Labour nor Conservative governments in London have agreed to this common sense idea.

"Looking at the long term, I would also urge the Government to urgently address the lack of investment in renewable energy that we are seeing at present.

"We have to be moving away from our reliance on fossil fuels and moving towards a greener economy.

"Sadly, the Coalition's betrayal of its promise to be "the greenest Government ever" is making this extremely difficult.

"Plaid has consistently maintained that the future of energy generation lies with renewables and we will continue to campaign hard on this issue, regardless of the London parties' inaction."

WAKING UP FOR WALES – PERHAPS NOT?

There may be some signs the Labour in Wales is finally waking from its self induced slumber? First Minister Carwyn Jones claimed that Wales is losing out on jobs and investment because it lacks the same powers over renewable energy enjoyed by Scotland. He has called for control of energy projects up to 100MW to be devolved to Wales.

Now I have no problem with that, it is worth noting that when Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards (31.01.2012) introduced a bill in Westminster which would have given the Welsh Government powers over energy generation in Wales – something both Labour and the Conservatives included in their respective Welsh general election manifesto's last year - its clear that Labour in Wales’s Westminster representatives were not prepared to play ball.

Mr Edwards argued not unreasonably that the proposal would lead to equality with Scotland and Northern Ireland and that it would mean that we would be better placed to fight fuel poverty with responsibility for our own resources. This entirely reasonable proposal was voted down by Labour MPs, who were more than happy to team up with Conservatives MPs to stop their own party in Wales taking these powers. The proposal was defeated by 239 votes to 44 after Labour and Conservative MPs teamed up against the Bill.

Waking up for Wales perhaps not? Carwyn is on record as saying that he wants decision-making powers for renewable energy developments up to 100MW to be devolved to Wales. So what about any projects that come in over the magic 100MW figure? That according to Carwyn's logic would get decided upon in London by Conservative / Lib Dem Ministers.

Now oddly enough this position may not quite be as ill-thought out as it first appears as it would mean that all of Wales' offshore wind farms, large-scale tidal developments (including any proposed re-badged Severn Barrage) and some of the biomass plant proposals that are floating about would all be excluded. Obviously from a developmental, strategic or practical point of view this is complete nonsense.

Anything for a quiet life and nothing controversial to disturb ones sleep perhaps? And anyway as Labour in Wales representatives in Westminster are totally opposed to any plans to devolve more powers to the National Assembly anyway perhaps this is the ideal solution to the problem as it puts party interest before the national one? Perhaps Carwyn hopes that no one will notice...

HIGH COURT BLUES

The successful legal challenge, launched by Friends of the Earth and two solar power companies, against the UK Government’s arbitrary decision to bring in early cuts to solar power subsidies, should be welcomed. This High Court verdict says that the Government's plans were "legally flawed" and should now see thousands of businesses and homes eligible for higher payments. This result while being a bit predictable is welcome news and is an important victory for the future of the UK solar industry.

Originally the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme was created to encourage investment in developing renewable energy and to reduce costs for households. The High Court victory means that (at least until the UK Government has another go) this is exactly what will be achieved thanks to this rejection of the Government's damaging proposals that threatened to damage both the developing green energy economy and the environment.

Herein Wales the High Court victory is important, because the growing renewables industry is a large employer in Wales and has real potential for significant growth in future. The High Court's decision will hopefully encourage more people to invest in solar energy and take advantage of its benefits and viability. It is important to know that the UK Government can be being held to account for its often arbitrary decisions and it is important that it be reminded (regularly) of its commitments (Coalition Agreement pledges) to produce 15 per cent of the country's total energy y from renewable sources by 2020.

Perhaps part of the problem is the lack of any real sincerity on the part of UK Westminster Governments when it comes to seriously developing the vital renewable energy sector. The Department for Energy and Climate Change (and its predecessors) have persistently and (very) effectively slowed down the development of the renewable energy sector and actively prevented the development of tidal lagoons and wave energy having a bias towards the grossly expensive subsidised nuclear industry.

If you take the long view then a rapidly expanding small scale renewable energy sector would (given time) directly threaten the larger energy company profits and their cosy comfortable virtual monopoly on energy supply and the lucrative (non windfall) tax on the energy companies profits. So naturally the last thing that the UK Government and the cartel of Big Six energy companies want is for people to be saving money and to be less dependent on the large energy providers. It should be pretty clear to most people by now that the UK Government simply does not favour smaller scale community beneficial energy projects.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE? PERHAPS NOT...

News that the Con Dem Government has brought in the planned reduction of the feed-in tariff before the consultation process has even closed should not come a much of a surprise. The consultation process runs until Friday, 23rd December yet the changes to the feed in tariff were brought in on Monday, 12th December – so much for consultation. Friends of the Earth and two solar power companies have rightly challenged the UK Government in the High Court (Tuesday 20th December) over the plans.

The Feed-in tariffs (FIT) scheme was primarily designed to encourage investment in renewable energy and reduce costs for households, it's reduction could have a significant impact on the renewable energy sector in Wales. Developing renewable solar energy should be an integral part of developing sustainable future energy supplies and should play a key role in helping to combat the growing challenge of climate change.

The apparent speed with which the changes were brought in and the public demonstration of any lack of real sincerity in what could be described as a nominal consultation process is disappointing. The renewable energy sector is a growing employer in Wales with real potential for significant growth in future years, yet this ill-thought out change could put jobs at risk and derail expansion plans.

Feed-in tariffs give ordinary people the chance to take part in the fight against climate change through generating their own renewable energy and to make savings on their own household energy costs. Naturally these changes will make it more difficult for people to do this and in my opinion this change is driven by a short term desire to save money. So much for the Con Dem pledge to produce 15% of the country's total energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Part of the problem is the lack of any real sincerity on the part of the last few UK Westminster Governments when it comes to developing the vital renewable energy sector. The Department for Energy and Climate Change (and its predecessors) have effectively slowed down the development of the renewable energy sector and actively blocked the development of tidal lagoons and wave energy having a bias towards the grossly expensive nuclear industry.

The last thing that the UK Government and the cartel of Big Six energy companies want is for people to be saving money and to be less dependent on the large energy providers. It should be pretty clear to most people by now that the UK Government simply does not favour or wish to encourage smaller scale community beneficial energy projects.

Perhaps if you take the long view, a rapidly expanding small scale renewable energy sector would (eventually and perhaps quite quickly) threaten the energy company profits, their virtual monopoly on energy supply and useful taxes on the energy companies profits. Would any Westminster government want to reduce it's income and help people to save money and break their dependency on large scale energy providers and large scale energy developments. Hmmm...

A LUXURY WE CANNOT AFFORD…

The Con Dem Government has announced that it is going to cut the subsidy for solar power by half for new installations from 12th December. Solar panel makers and solar panel installers are concerned that the cut may lead to the loss of thousands of jobs and a reduction in investment in this form of renewable energy. This decision also means that consumers who register for the scheme after that date (even if the deposit has already been paid) will see their return halved.

The Westminster government has launched a fast-track consultation on the change, which it says reflects falling panel prices. The proposed new tariff of 21 pence, which is down from the current 43p, will come into effect from the 1st April 2012 and be paid to anyone who installed their solar system after 12th December 2012. One interpretation of this is that the last few Westminster governments have just not really been serious about energy security and developing secure sustainable energy resources.

Sadly it certainly looks like the Con Dem Government is about as serious about developing renewable energy resources, as was the previous New Labour Government. That said, there may be other motives, perhaps no one (in Government) really wants micro-generation schemes to work because then we (the consumers) will have less need of the Big Six and of course profits / share prices and dividends could be hit, and we (sorry they) would not want that it might upset the chaps over dinner.

This decision certainly does seem to be a slap in the face for this sector of the renewables, let alone any consumers and customers seeking to develop sustainable energy. One interpretation could be that this decision will make life just that little easier for the energy cartel members. That aside, we appear to have a Westminster Government that's not serious about developing sustainable energy and that's one luxury that none of us can afford.

DELIVERING THE GREEN JOBS DIVIDEND

News that the Port of Mostyn (on the Flintshire coast) has been chosen to be a base for supporting and maintaining a giant offshore wind, which will create 100 jobs, is good news for the north. The RWE npower deal which is worth £50 million pounds will run for the 25 year life of Gwynt y Môr off-shore wind farm. Once the offshore wind farm once fully operational in 2014 the wind farm is expected to generate electricity for about 400,000 homes and will consist of 160 wind turbines sited about 10 miles off the coast near Colwyn Bay and Llandudno.

In the south, Mabey Bridge's wind turbine tower manufacturing factory in Chepstow has been up and running since May 2011, as part of the company's £38 million investment in the renewable energy sector. The 25,000 square metre facility can make up to 300 wind turbine towers per year. The factory has provided a boost to the local economy, by creating 240 new skilled jobs.

What we need is 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. We need to create a flexible 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, some of which can be community owned and community beneficial, will provide a real future dividend for our communities.

The telling question is will Labour in Wales step up to the plate and actually grasp the opportunity to drive and develop energy policy in Wales? Or not?

A CROWN FOR YOUR THOUGHTS?

Meanwhile Community Land Scotland, which represents Scotland's community landowners has in submissions to the UK Scottish Affairs Committee and Scottish Scotland Bill Committee, for radical reform of the way the Crown Estate operates in Scotland and for some of its roles should be taken over by community groups. MPs and MSPs are looking into the future of the Crown Estate's functions in Scotland at the moment.

The Crown Estate in rural Scotland owns 91,400 acres (37,000ha) of agricultural land, 12,300 acres (5,000ha) of forestry, residential and commercial property, salmon fishing rights, the Fochabers and Glenlivet estates in Moray, Whitehill Estate in Midlothian and land surrounding Stirling Castle. Not to mention 50% of the foreshore and beds of tidal rivers in Scotland and almost all the seabed out to 12 nautical miles.

For the record Community Land Scotland's members own some 500,000 acres (202,343ha). Recently a Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) report produced by researcher Dr Sarah Skerratt, suggests that community land ownership plays a successful role in encouraging people to live and work in remote and rural areas.

The SAC report noted that while many communities did not have the range of skills and capacity they needed for the task of purchasing and developing their land. People worked to overcome the challenges by bringing in training, guidance and support to help when they necessary. There is no reason why the Crown Estate's holdings in Wales should not also bring communal benefits to the Welsh people.

While not everything that works in Scotland will work in Wales the concept of local communities benefiting from ownership of local resources, be they land or energy or redevelopment schemes for that matter is something that we need to develop. There should be no barriers to this happening right across Wales basically wherever there are communities (urban or rural) willing to give it a go.

IF ONLY...

A couple of things caught my attention, one of which was the fact that the Westminster Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is investigating whether the rate of Corporation Tax should be cut. The UK Government chancellor is planning to reduce the tax in the UK from 28% to 24% over the next four years however corporation tax in the Republic of Ireland is only 12.5%. At the moment MPs are considering whether Northern Ireland should have a similar or lower rate of Corporation Tax, something that will help attract investment and provide opportunities for business growth...so why can we not do the same thing here in Wales.

In Scotland, plans for a huge tidal energy project which is set to be developed in the Pentland Firth after the rights to the site were awarded to a consortium by the Crown Estate. The Inner Sound, which lies between the Caithness coast and island of Stroma, as one of the Firth's "most energetic" tidal areas. The proposed scheme could involve up to 400 submerged turbines, generating enough energy to power 400,000 homes with a 25-year operational lease for the site was awarded to MeyGen.

This is a joint venture between tidal technology provider Atlantis Resources Corporation, International Power and investment bank Morgan Stanley. The news of the award of the lease comes after two years of feasibility work in the waters of the Pentland Firth. Obviously this is subject to planning consent, the consortium plans to install hundreds of turbines in the Inner Sound area and construction is expected to take place on a phased basis until 2020. The real good news is that project will be one of the biggest in the world, with the potential to generate up to 400MW of sustainable renewable power. So why not here in Wales...

For Scotland read Wales

Scotland is on target to smash its own target for expanding renewable power generation, according to research commissioned by Scottish Renewables. Scotland's renewable energy potential is even bigger than previously thought and the country could move from 50% to at least 80% reliance on green energy sources within the next ten years. Independent analysis has looked at power drawn from wind, tidal, wave and hydro turbines, and energy from waste and biomass.

The 2007 target of sourcing 50% of power needs from green sources within ten years can easily be reached, according to the research. By 2011 Scotland should reach 31%, and there are several large projects, which have already won approval, and will come on stream after that. Wales is also rich when it comes to being blessed with significant potential when it comes to developing its renewable resources; we just lack the powers necessary to develop our own energy policy.