UK - Government and industry join forces to secure a renewable energy future in Wales

The renewable energy industry attended the inaugural BWEA Wales Conference in great numbers in Cardiff today. The conference and exhibition attracted 200 delegates as well as national assembly and local government members and officials and representatives from a wide range of stakeholder organisations.

The conference addressed the key issues affecting the development of renewable energy in Wales with particular emphasis being placed on the creation of a more efficient planning system to better reflect the urgency for action on climate change and energy security in Wales.

With a renewed spirit of engagement between Government and industry, BWEA invited the views of leading politicians in the newly formed Welsh Assembly Government. Jane Davidson, the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Sustainability and Rural Development clearly holds renewable energy close to her heart. Her keynote address opened with the emphatic statement that “Climate change is the single most important global challenge” recognising the record breaking weather patterns of recent months. Davidson warned, “It has become clear that there will be significant environmental and economic consequences of non action. Climate change mitigation must be a key priority for the new Government and this Government is firmly committed to renewable energy.”

The Minister reaffirmed to conference that she would work to ensure that Wales embraces renewables in all its forms. Maria McCaffery, BWEA Chief Executive, was delighted by the interest in the conference, commenting, “The attendance in Cardiff today has far exceeded our expectations for an inaugural event and clearly demonstrates the emphasis the renewables industry places on Wales and, at the same time, highlights the importance that Government at all levels in Wales is placing on the renewables industry. This level of mutual interest has most certainly positioned the BWEA Wales Conference on the annual calendar and I look forward to returning next summer.”

The tone of the conference was a blend of realism and optimism; realism over the planning system which has delayed deployment of renewable energy technologies in Wales, and optimism over the 75 MW of clean, carbon free power consented from onshore wind projects in 2007 – sufficient to power the electricity needs of 42,000 homes, equivalent to all the homes in Denbighshire.

Martin Marais, Head of Onshore Development for the conference sponsor, npower renewables, reflected the optimistic mood describing the renewables industry as being “on the crest of a wave in Wales” but claiming with respect to renewable policy in Wales, “It is time for delivering, not for reviewing. We have a new Welsh Assembly Government and a new political imperative. Together we will deliver a more sustainable future for Wales.”

Reflecting on progress in the “post-TAN8 era”, the outgoing Chair of the BWEA Wales Steering Committee, Matt Partridge, painted a mixed picture, identifying a worrying lack of progress in the two years since the publication of TAN8. However, Partridge also picked up on the recent step-change in progress, particularly with a significant increase in planning permissions granted for onshore wind farm projects in the first half of 2007. Describing this development as evidence that the industry had “turned the corner”, Partridge, like many of the delegates, reflected a positive outlook for renewables in Wales.

For enquiries please contact BWEA Wales Officer Llywelyn Rhys llywelyn@bwea.com

Further information on the state of play of the renewables industry can be found in BWEA's newsletter published to coincide with the inaugural Wales conference - online at www.bwea.com/pdf/wales/BWEAWales07conferencenewsletter.pdf