Proposed Electricity and Heat 'Benchmarks' Welcomed By Campaigners

Friends of the Earth Cymru welcome the Economic Development Committee's Renewable Energy Final Report which will be discussed in the Assembly Plenary this afternoon. The campaigners specifically welcome the benchmarks (1) proposed for renewable electricity and heat generation by 2010. The campaigners say that the benchmark of four terra-watt hours of electricity per year (TWhr/year) to be generated from renewable sources, such as wind, biomass and tides, by 2010 would give a much needed boost to economic and environmental performance in Wales. The group also support the benchmark of 1 TWhr/year of heat production per year.

A 4 TWhr/year 2010 electricity generation benchmark would be equivalent to about 20% of current electricity demand in Wales, or 10 % of current production (2). Furthermore, if complemented by concerted energy efficiency measures the proportional output could be significantly higher again, thus reducing dangerous greenhouse gas emissions from Wales even more. The campaigners point out the Report's Myths and Legends section which exposes some of the widely promulgated erroneous beliefs about wind energy (Appendix A) and say a few hundred more turbines, not thousands may be located around Wales.

The campaigners also point out that significantly more electricity could be delivered especially if the marine renewable technologies, such as offshore wind, wave and current turbines, and tidal lagoons progress well in the next few years. Friends of the Earth Cymru has proposed a framework to deliver 6 TWhrs/year by 2010 as potentially feasible and affordable and to stimulate such technologies to progress in Wales (3). Holyhead and other Welsh ports could be major beneficiaries of such a progressive marine renewable energy policy.

Neil Crumpton, Friends of the Earth Cymru energy spokesperson, said:

'' We welcome a four terra-watt hours per year benchmark for renewable electricity generation by 2010 as proposed by the Economic Development Committee in their Final Report. It would be good news for both the environment and the Welsh economy if the Welsh Assembly Government adopts the recommendations in the Report and we hope it is supported in the Plenary. The benchmark would equate to a minimum of about 20% of current Welsh electrical demand to be generated from renewable sources by 2010. Concerted energy efficiency measures and schemes over the next eight years could increase this percentage further."

"Achieving the benchmark will require more onshore windfarms for which there is majority public support. We greatly welcome the Report's section on Myths and Legends. There will be nothing like the thousands of turbines across Wales touted by some scaremongerers who oppose wind energy, often because of erroneous beliefs. We think that the number of turbines may more or less double from the present number of 360, depending on the size of the turbines. In an independent phone poll which we commissioned recently there was a majority of nearly 4 to 1 in favour of a doubling of onshore turbines."

"It is vital that any electricity and heat benchmark is linked to a planning and fiscal support framework . This would stimulate innovation and boost investor and developer confidence. The result would then be Welsh expertise and manufacturing capability in the fast growing global renewables market.''

Notes

1) The term 'benchmark' is one coined by the EDC and is understood to refer to a minimum aspiration and expectation.
2) Friends of the Earth Cymru estimate that Wales's electricity demand is about 19 TWhrs /year including transmission and other losses.
3) Friends of the Earth Cymru proposed a framework to deliver 6 TWhrs/year by 2010 as feasible and affordable - see Friends of the Earth Cymru Renewables Consultation Response