Fossil fuels mean a grim future for Welsh jobs

21 November 2012

Recently published figures show that development of renewable energy is stalling in Wales [1]. At the same time, the UK Government has been approving fossil-fuelled power stations in Wales at a per capita rate four times that in England [2].

Gareth Clubb, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, will tomorrow (Thursday 22 November) be at the Policy Forum for Wales to highlight the threat to future prosperity that will come from saddling Wales with fossil fuel jobs.

Gareth Clubb said:

"Fossil-fuelled power stations have a limited lifespan, because the urgent need to tackle climate change means that they'll have to shut down before too long. But renewable energy will be powering Wales and providing jobs for hundreds of years to come.

"So it's disappointing to see the track record on renewables investment in Wales. Over the same period that England's renewable energy generation has increased 18-fold, Wales hasn't even tripled the capacity we had in 2003.

"On its own this would be bad enough. But by allowing non-renewable power stations in Wales at four times the rate in England, the UK Government is consigning thousands of fossil-fuelled jobs to the scrapheap in just a few decades. It's a policy which is the antithesis of sustainable development.

"Wales needs to take control of its energy future, and the jobs it will provide. The time has come for full powers over energy to be devolved to Wales."

NOTES

1. Installed capacity of wind, wave and solar in Wales at end 2011 (628.7 MW) was 2.7 times its 2003 installed capacity (232.3 MW). In England the 2011 figure (3,043.1 MW) was 17.9 times its 2003 figure (170.2 MW). Data from DECC
2. Non-renewable consents per 1,000 population from 2005 to 2011 inclusive:
   • Wales 1.44 MW
   • England 0.37 MW
   • Scotland 0.19 MW
   • Northern Ireland 0.00 MW
   Data from DECC and National Statistics