Climate
Marine Energy Boosts Welsh economy by £30m, Pembrokeshire leads

IN the 2023/24 financial year, Wales’ marine renewable energy sector delivered a substantial £29.9 million to the Welsh economy, as revealed in the latest State of the Sector Report by Marine Energy Wales. This brings the total cumulative spending and investment in the sector to an impressive £292.9 million.
Despite a notable reduction from the previous year’s £103.4 million, this year’s figure remains the second highest annual spend recorded to date. The decline is attributed to the conclusion of European grant funding and the completion of significant infrastructure projects, such as the Morlais development on Anglesey, which inflated last year’s expenditures.
Jeremy Miles, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language, expressed optimism about the sector’s future: “Wales is well placed to be at the forefront of marine energy technologies. Maximising this opportunity is an important step towards our path to net zero, attracting investment and creating highly skilled and well-paid jobs, particularly in coastal communities.”

The report highlights the considerable contribution of the tidal stream sector, which has injected £116.1 million into the Welsh economy since 2019, largely due to the Morlais infrastructure and the efforts of tidal kite developer Minesto.
Anglesey and Pembrokeshire are at the forefront of this growth, with Anglesey leading with £103.8 million in investments to date, closely followed by Pembrokeshire at £97 million. Swansea is also emerging as a key player, with £39.2 million invested in marine energy development.
The sector currently sustains 429 full-time jobs across Wales, with Pembrokeshire employing the highest number of people in the sector at 260 FTEs. This is due to the county’s established supply chain, which includes fabricators, engineers, and environmental consultants. Both Swansea and Anglesey also contribute significantly to employment in this sector.
Tam Bardell, Chair of Marine Energy Wales, underscored the importance of maintaining momentum: “We have just over a decade to meet the Welsh Government’s target of 100% renewable energy by 2035. While generating around 59% from renewable sources, we still have a long way to go. This report is not just a reflection of our achievements but a call to action.”
The future of the sector looks promising, particularly for tidal stream and floating offshore wind (FLOW), with a projected £486 million spend over the next five years in Wales. Continued support from governmental policies and increased private sector investment are essential for overcoming current barriers and ensuring Wales’ progression as a global leader in marine renewable energy generation.
As the sector grows, improving gender balance and diversifying roles remain positive steps forward, ensuring the industry’s sustainable development and its pivotal role in Wales’ economic and environmental future.
Climate
Net-zero Wales and the generation game

THIS WEEK’S episode of Panorama explored the significant clean energy projects creating tension across Britain.
“Rewiring Britain: The Race to Go Green” examined the UK’s efforts to create a greener, more sustainable energy infrastructure. It highlighted the challenges and opportunities associated with reducing carbon emissions, increasing renewable energy sources, and modernizing the national grid.
The programme incidentally highlighted an unusual set of data about Wales’s contribution of net-zero energy to the UK’s National Grid.
BBC Reporter Justin Rowlatt visited the headquarters of the National Energy System Operator (NESO). NESO ensures that Great Britain has the necessary energy by matching supply with demand every second of every day.It also monitors the contributions made to the UK energy grid from net-zero sources.
In a cutaway shot establishing that just over half of the UK’s energy came from net-zero sources.
The UK is divided into six distribution network licence areas, as shown in the screenshot accompanying this article.
What draws the eye, at least Welsh eyes, is the amount of net-zero energy provided by the area covering South Wales and South West England.
That amount was zero on the day the BBC attended NESO HQ. Given the number of large green energy infrastructure projects in South Wales, this seems astonishing. It is even more astonishing when one considers the large green energy projects across the South West of England.
An examination of the data underlying the chart shows why that is the case: almost three-quarters of ALL energy generated in South Wales comes from fossil fuels. That means that all of the net-zero energy generated in South Wales is consumed in the region and is not exported as surplus to the UK Grid.
To check our conclusion we asked NESO a series of questions, the answers to which confirmed that South Wales (the figures for North Wales are in the North West area on the screenshot), was not a net exporter of green energy to the grid.
When we checked earlier this week, we confirmed that was still the case.
Those data appear to run a coach and horses through claims that Wales is leading the way in green energy.
As it stands, South Wales isn’t even generating enough net-zero energy to power homes and businesses across South Wales. As planned green energy projects, such as the controversial plan to erect a chain of pylons and windfarms across rural Wales, focus on energy production for homes and businesses outside Wales, the benefits to the South Wales economy of supposedly “green” infrastructure projects appear marginal.
The UK government asserts that building new pylons, solar plants, wind turbines, and electricity substations is essential for achieving its ambitious goal of decarbonizing the country’s electricity by 2030. To expedite these projects and stimulate the economy, the government plans to “streamline” the planning process. However, many protesters contend that this approach risks overlooking their objections.
While some praise the UK government’s reforms, which aim to accelerate energy projects, there has also been significant criticism. Many stakeholders—including environmental groups, local communities, and planning experts—express concerns about the erosion of local democracy and community input. Critics warn that these proposed changes may undermine local decision-making by prioritizing national targets over community interests and feedback.
Despite the necessity of green energy projects for reducing carbon emissions, there are worries that large developments, such as solar farms and wind turbines, could negatively impact local ecosystems and biodiversity if not carefully managed.
Furthermore, the government faces criticism for not adequately addressing how to balance the need for renewable energy with other priorities, including housing development and infrastructure. The use of agricultural land for solar farms or bioenergy crops raises additional concerns about food security and the loss of productive farmland.
Large-scale renewable projects, especially wind turbines, can significantly alter landscapes. This has led to resistance from residents and conservationists who value the rural areas’ visual and cultural heritage. For example, in Lincolnshire, proposed solar farms are set to cover an area larger than Greater Manchester. Critics argue that the government’s focus on large-scale projects overlooks the potential benefits of smaller, community-led initiatives and energy efficiency measures, which could also play a crucial role in decarbonization.
The drive to achieve net zero, or at least energy self-sufficiency and energy security, is admirable in intent. However, marrying ambitions and outputs with the views of those whose homes, land, and lives will be most affected by the infrastructure and structures needed to support them is as far away as ever.
Business
Giant solar farm could be built on edge of Haverfordwest

THE EARLY stages of a scheme for a potential 20MW solar farm just a mile from Haverfordwest which it is said would provide power for 6,000 homes has been submitted to county planners.
Amberside Energy Ltd submitted a scoping opinion to Pembrokeshire County Council for the for the proposed solar farm and grid connection on land close to Haverfordwest golf club, just off the main A40 road, ahead of a formal application.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Request for land to the north of the A40/Narberth Road, And East of Haverfordwest, Boulston and Slebech was prepared by Stephenson Halliday Ltd, on behalf of Amberside Energy Ltd has been adopted by council planners prior to the submission of a formal planning application.
Supporting documents with the request say: “The proposed development will export approximately 20MW which is anticipated to connect to the national grid at the nearby substation located approximately 500m west of the site’s access. The proposed development will comprise solar photovoltaic panels, inverters, perimeter stock fencing, access tracks, and CCTV. Planning permission will be sought for a temporary period of 40 years from the date of first exportation of electricity.
“The planning application submission will include the private wire grid connection, facilitated via underground cables to connect the Solar Farm to the point of connection.”
It adds: “The photovoltaic panels within the Site would generate up to 20MW of electricity, to be exported to the national grid. The Proposed Development will produce enough clean energy for approximately 6,000 homes, helping to contribute to the Government’s legally binding Net Zero target and to secure the nation’s energy supply in the context of a volatile global market.”
It says the site is adjacent to two separate solar developments with separate grid connections; Shoalshook Solar farm and Fenton Home Solar farm, but would operate in isolation to any of these neighbouring solar farms.
A formal planning application will be supported by a Landscape and Visual Appraisal (LVA), the application says, adding: “Overall, given the siting and nature of the proposed development, no significant visual impacts are anticipated.”
Climate
GB energy bill backed despite concerns Senedd could be bypassed

SENEDD Members signed off on Westminster’s GB energy bill despite concerns about duplication and the Welsh Parliament being bypassed in future.
Llŷr Gruffydd raised concerns about the “inadequacies” of the legislative consent motion (LCM) process by which the Senedd consents to UK legislation on devolved matters.
The Senedd climate committee chair warned of potential overlap between GB Energy and the Welsh Government’s Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, two publicly owned energy companies.
Mike Hedges, who chairs the legislation committee, said clause six of the bill would confer wide-ranging powers on UK ministers that could have a direct impact on devolved areas.
He pointed out that assurances on consultation from the UK Government are not binding.

Mr Hedges said: “This does not adequately reflect the Senedd as a legitimate democratic legislative body for Wales and does not address the fact that the Senedd will be sidelined during the future exercise of the delegated powers.”
Samuel Kurtz, the Conservatives’ shadow economy secretary, described GB Energy as “yet another example of Labour’s habit of overpromising and underdelivering”.
He said: “Keir Starmer pledged that GB Energy would cut household bills by £300 and create 1,000 new jobs in Aberdeen, but within weeks, the reality is unravelling.
“GB Energy’s own chairman admits that delivering on these promises could take upwards of 20 years and, even worse, in the short term, the number of jobs created will be around 200 or 300 – far short of the 1,000 promised during the election.”

Describing the bill as a gimmick, Mr Kurtz added: “It won’t lower bills tomorrow; it won’t lower bills next year or even in five years. GB Energy chair Juergen Maier couldn’t even say when the mythical £300 savings would occur.”
Labour’s Lee Waters raised the example of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund which invests in renewable energy around the world.
He told the chamber: “Surely, for energy generated within these lands, it’s not absurd for our own government to want to capture that for the benefit of our citizens rather than the benefit of other countries’ citizens.”

Plaid Cymru’s Luke Fletcher said: “The government itself has said that there is little information on the operational and practical aims of GB Energy, that is of concern.”
He concluded: “What we need to see is what is GB Energy about, where is it going, how is it going to interact with those Welsh institutions.
“That’s the important thing here – the sovereignty of the Welsh Government and this place. For that reason, we’ll be voting against the LCM.”
Rebecca Evans pointed to an amendment under clause five which strengthened a requirement to consult Welsh ministers to a requirement to gain consent.
The Welsh Government’s economy secretary said: “Where time allows, we will provide an opportunity for the Senedd to express a view before consent is formally given.”

Ms Evans told the Senedd: “I see this as really being an opportunity for strong collaboration, rather than an area where we should be concerned about duplication, competition or conflict.
“I think there are wonderful opportunities for us to work with Great British Energy to realise the huge renewable energy potential that we have here in Wales.”
Senedd Members voted 30-26 in favour of legislative consent on February 4, with Labour and the Lib Dems in favour while Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives were against.
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