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Wales fails to deliver on energy targets

BWEA urges political parties to prioritise clean energy

Thursday 19 April 2007

Latest figures released on 19th April, show that Wales is now a staggering 74% behind schedule on meeting a key 2010 national renewable energy target, established by the National Assembly nearly two years ago.

BWEA, the trade association representing the wind, wave and tidal energy industries, has today issued new figures for April 2007, which demonstrates that the gap between renewable energy targets and the actual amount installed is increasing rapidly. With only three years to go before the 2010 delivery date, BWEA warns that Wales is in serious danger of failing to meet its renewable energy targets and also its obligation to generate clean, carbon free energy as a way to tackle climate change.

In July 2005, the Welsh Assembly Government published its planning policy document known as TAN 8: Planning for Renewables. This document sets clear targets to generate 10% of Wales' electricity by renewable sources by the year 2010. TAN 8 recognised that onshore wind turbines offered the greatest potential in the short to medium term to increase electricity production from renewable energy sources. As such, the policy clearly specified that an additional 800 MW of onshore wind was required, which equates to around 12 MW to be installed each month up to December 2010. To date, only an additional 68 MW has been installed putting Wales 74% behind where it should be at this time.

Commenting on the slow progress, Llywelyn Rhys, Wales Officer for the BWEA said:

"Wales is likely to miss its own renewable energy targets. This is hugely disappointing considering that climate change is such a threat to our environment and Wales has a free and abundant wind energy resource. If Wales is serious in its pursuit of generating clean, carbon free electricity then all political parties need to show leadership during the present National Assembly election campaign and beyond, with commitments to delivering practical and immediate answers to address the current, slow progress."

BWEA is critical of the failure of the political parties in Wales to recognise and accept that onshore wind energy is the main renewable technology available to deliver the vast majority of the 2010 target. BWEA is also calling for greater support for local planning authorities who are responsible for delivering the planning permissions necessary to meet the target.

Llywelyn Rhys added:

"All political parties in Wales should give their unequivocal support to onshore wind energy and provide the much needed leadership to local planning authorities in ensuring that renewable energy targets are delivered. Politicians must be reminded of the dire consequences of climate change and the role of onshore wind energy – one of Wales' most popular forms of energy – in averting dangerous changes to the climate. 

NOTES TO EDITORS

WAG Target

  • By 2010, Wales is committed to having 10% of its electricity supplied by renewable sources
  • This includes specific renewable energy targets of 4TWh per annum by 2010 and 7TWh per annum by 2020
  • It is recognised that the majority of this energy (800 MW) will be produced by onshore wind turbines

Strategic Planning

Strategic locations were identified to accommodate large-scale onshore wind farms, with the aim of delivering the majority of the 800 MW target. Despite this, progress has been frustratingly slow. Nearly two years on, local planning authorities are still dragging their feet and failing to complete the local planning work required to guide developments on the ground. This delay in the planning system has undermined industry confidence in Wales as well as endangering renewable energy targets.

The case for wind

  • "the Assembly's policy is that 800 MW of renewables capacity should be provided from strategic on-shore wind energy development" (Ministerial Interim Planning Policy Statement, July 2005)
  • "onshore wind power offers the greatest potential for an increase in the generation of electricity from renewable energy in the short to medium term." (TAN 8, July 2005)
  • "In considering Wales' renewable resources and mature renewable technologies, wind power is the only clear and realistic deliverable over the lifetime of the TAN" (TAN 8, July 2005)

Popularity of wind energy

  • Official polls consistently show 70-80% of people in Wales support wind farms as a way to tackle climate change and fill the energy gap
  • Allegra Strategies survey in March 2007 found that 61% of residents in Wales noted that they would be happy to have a wind farm located nearby
  • Only 5% of respondents with wind farms in their local area expressed negative feedback towards having a wind turbine near their homes