Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Wales doesn't need nuclear power

Some say Wylfa power station in Anglesey should be a site for a new nuclear power station.

No thank you.

With its wonderful resources Wales should aim for being zero-carbon and self-fuelling on renewables by 2050 with a mix of wind, biomass and ocean power (as Scotland and the SW of England is aiming for).

The problem is the WAG doesn't practice what it preaches.

Down here in S. Gwynedd we've been trying to some time to get funding for three village-wide community heating schemes fuelled by forestry and wood waste. Local ownership, local employment.

No chance so far - not nearly enough money in the government grant schemes and the Abergynolwyn project was caught by the State Aid rule. Yet this type of project should be supported under the sustainable development plank of the constitution.

The three villages' schemes would cost about £12m to install. They would pay for themselves within a max. of 10 years.

We have invested in the local wind turbine in Pantperthog. This is one of the few locally owned wind projects in the UK.

It's a sad state of affairs that more are not encouraged (as in Denmark for example).

The low carbon building fund recently announced by the govt. is £30m over 3 years. When you think about what this will actually buy you can see how this is pissing in the wind.

In fact it's an insult to the industry and any claims Blair has to be fighting climate change.

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