2. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government’s local energy programme? OAQ(5)0028(ERA)

Thank you. The Welsh Government Local Energy service launched in January of this year, supporting renewable energy projects delivering local benefit. Our ongoing support since 2010 has helped communities deliver eight completed schemes. Eight more are currently under construction, with a further nine to be constructed by the end of 2017.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that response, and also for her recent visit to Awel Aman Tawe, in my constituency, to mark the package of support that the Welsh Government made available. As she will know, there is a good deal of anxiety in the sector about the long-term effects of the UK Government’s changes to feed-in tariffs and enterprise investment scheme eligibility. What assessment is the Welsh Government undertaking of the impact of those changes on the sector in Wales and any changes the Government may need to make to its support package in the longer term?

Thank you. Well, my officials are constantly monitoring the effect of UK Government energy policy to ensure that the sector can continue to deliver for Wales. I think there has been a lack of progress because of that change in support that we’ve seen coming from the UK Government. We’re looking at models that can support renewable energy development to continue. So, for example, Welsh Government is supporting the Energy Local trial in Bethesda, on the local production and use of that energy within the community, to find out whether that model can help projects work, without then having to rely on subsidies such as feed-in tariffs. We’re also considering the shape of support beyond the current Local Energy service that we have, which takes us to December 2017. Clearly, whatever support we have coming forward will need to reflect the change that we’re seeing in the energy sector.

Minister, I think in most countries that have succeeded in encouraging the generation of power locally, they have adapted the market to give an incentive to allow this, including control or access to the grid. I know these powers are not with you, but are you discussing with the other jurisdictions ways in which we could open up the market and encourage local generation?

I haven’t had that discussion since I came into portfolio, but I know my officials are actively having those discussions not just across the devolved administrations, but also with the UK Government.