Assembly Opportunity to Spark a Green Industrial Revolution

Environmental campaigners are calling on the Assembly to invest in a green industrial revolution to create jobs in renewable energy technologies and tackle dangerous global warming. Friends of the Earth Cymru say that at least 30% of Welsh electricity demand could be generated from environmentally friendly renewable sources by 2010 (1) bringing clean and safe jobs in innovative new industries.

The call comes as the Assembly's Economic Development Committee is about to decide on renewable electricity targets and other green energy policies (2). The Committee's Public Consultation on renewable energy targets finished on Friday and the campaigners say that hundreds of postcards and representations calling for 30% renewable electricity by 2010 have been sent or made to Assembly Members by the public across Wales.

Friends of the Earth Cymru believe that if Wales achieves 30% of electricity generation by renewables in eight to nine years time then Wales will give a strong lead by example in the global move to green electricity production. This would befit a nation with a world-leading legal duty to promote sustainable development. In the process, the renewable energy industry will support a healthy fabric of employment in rural hills, Valley towns, historic ports and seaside resorts.

The Economic Development Committee have the superb opportunity to set the targets and the progressive planning and fiscal support policies needed to encourage and enable the generation of 30% of current Welsh electricity demand from renewable sources by 2010.

Friends of the Earth Cymru point out that renewable energy schemes such as windfarms, biomass and hydro schemes, under sea turbines and tidal lagoons generally:

• are, or are forecast by the Government to be, mostly cheaper than fossil fuels and nuclear power, onshore wind significantly so
  
• emit few greenhouse gases unlike fossil fuels
  
• are relatively very clean and safe, emitting no or few damaging and costly acid rain gases and other air pollutants
  
• offer minimal opportunities as terrorist targets unlike nuclear facilities and shipments
  
• leave no legacy of toxic radioactive waste for future generations
  
• are an indigenous or self-sufficient and secure source of energy forever
  
• give price stability, being little affected by world events and oil prices
  
• create more jobs per unit of energy than fossil fuel or nuclear generation

The campaigners anticipate that some will say that a 30% renewable electricity target by 2010 is not feasible so the campaigners have itemised how 30% or more is feasible and how it would likely be achieved (3). Neither is it all about onshore windfarms which comprise between 6-11% of the group's target. The overall proposals include 15% from onshore and 15% from offshore technologies:

Onshore windfarms: 6-11 %
Biomass schemes: 3-5 %
Hydro schemes: 1-2 %
Solar photovoltaic (PV): 1+ %
Landfill tips and mines gas: 1-2 %

Offshore windfarms: 10+ %
Marine current turbines: 4-5 %
Tidal (lagoon) generators: 1-14 %

(there may also be other demonstration technologies by 2010 such as geothermal and offshore wave power schemes)

Friends of the Earth Cymru freely say that the target is in part aspirational because the Assembly does not yet have planning powers for power stations over 50 MW or offshore schemes. The Assembly and the Welsh public should call for the relevant powers to be devolved, rather than the possible transfer back of major schemes determination by Westminster including a possible Wylfa B nuclear station. In the meantime, investing to maximise shore side installation, maintenance and particularly manufacturing jobs could create employment especially in hard-pressed Objective One areas.

Neil Crumpton, energy spokesperson for the group said:

"The awesome threat of global warming should not cloud our view to the economic opportunities and social benefits of pursuing what could be called a green industrial revolution. By investing in renewable energy technologies, which can create electricity and employment in both rural and urban areas across Wales, we also attack global warming emissions at source.

We estimate that a thirty percent target for current Welsh electricity demand to be generated by renewable energy technologies by 2010 is both advisable and achievable. Indeed, the switch from coal to gas generated electricity in the 1990s, known as the dash for gas, resulted in the building of new power stations totalling 33% of all power station capacity in England and Wales.

The difference here is that renewable energy schemes generate clean, safe and secure electricity supplies essentially for ever, all from indigenous natural resources. What's more, most renewable energy technologies will, or are already producing electricity which is cheaper than that from nuclear and the global warming villains of coal, oil and for some even gas. Wales could also have the worlds first tidal lagoon generator currently being planned for Swansea Bay.

What are we waiting for? We say to the Assembly, plan for thirty percent renewable electricity by 2010, now is the opportunity and responsibility."

Notes

1) 30% of current Welsh demand is equivalent to 6 Terawatt hours per year (out of 20 TWhrs/year).

Please do not confuse Wales electricity production from Welsh demand - production is about 30 TWhrs/year, demand is about 20 TWhrs/year the balance is transmitted to England. A 10% PRODUCTION target may imply 4 TWhrs/year by 2010, we are calling for 6TWhrs/year by 2010.

Note also that we say CURRENT Welsh demand - This is likely to change (up or down) by 2010 because of energy efficiency improvements and policies and changes in consumption patterns - in any event 6 TWhrs/year is our proposed target.

The Friends of the Earth Cymru Consultation Response gives details of our percentage range estimates for the likely on and offshore renewable electricity technologies.

Below are the unit costs of electricity generated from various sources as forecast by the Government's (Cabinet Office) Energy Review.

2) On Wednesday 10th July the ED Committee will report back on the public's response to the Committee's Renewable Energy Consultation.

Government Energy Review 2002 - Cost Estimates by 2020 (PIU Report)

Below are the Unit (kWhour) electricity generation cost range estimates for 2020 for various electricity generating technologies. Note that a typical household consumes 4,500 Units per year costing about 7 pence per Unit for the elcectricity provider.

Onshore wind 1.0 - 2.0 pence per kWhr
Gas 3.0 - 3.5 (inc 1p for sequestration)
Offshore wind 2.0 - 4.0
Tidal Flow 2.5 - 4.0
Near Shore Wave 3.0 - 4.0
Energy crops 4.5 - 6.0
Offshore wave 4.0 - 6.0
Solar PV 10.0 - 16.0
Micro CHP 2.5 - 3.5
Large CHP < 2.0
Nuclear 3.0 - 4.0
Coal (IGCC) 3.0 - 3.5
Coal 3.0 - 4.5

Sequestration means that the carbon dioxide gas not released to the atmosphere (eg pumped into old oil and gas wells) so as not to cause a global warming effect.

3) Friends of the Earth Cymru's response to the National Assembly's consultation on renewable energy.