6. 6. Statement: Energy

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:52 pm on 26 September 2017.

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Photo of Julie Morgan Julie Morgan Labour 5:52, 26 September 2017

I welcome this statement; I think it’s absolutely essential that Wales tackles and does all it can to mitigate climate change, because I think we’ve got to accept that it’s the poorest of people in the world who suffer from what climate change is bringing to us. I think we have an absolute duty to do this, so I welcome this statement very much. I welcome the ambitious targets, the 70 per cent I welcome, and I also welcome—as many people have—the issue of local ownership, because we do know that some countries, in particular Germany, have made a much bigger step ahead than we have, and I think it’s very good if there’s going to be a drive on this.

Does the Cabinet Secretary believe that there is a case, or opportunity, really, for more local government involvement in renewable energy? I’ve raised in this Chamber many times the development of the Radyr weir scheme in my constituency in Cardiff North. That’s actually been operating for a year now, and it has generated electricity equivalent of powering 500 average-sized family homes during that time, and there’s also been some downtime when they fine-tuned the mechanics, so I think in the future it will generate even more. So, could she say what future she thinks—or what opportunities there could be given to local government to work and develop this sort of scheme? And the other point I just wanted to make was that I do think it would be a good move, really, to look again at the Wales energy supply company.