Wales is right to claim a proud historical legacy in its supply of energy, steel and raw materials.
Over generations, its natural resources and engineering have provided heat and power for homes and industry, as well as world shipping, thus helping grow international trade.
Without Welsh steam coal bunkering the Royal Navy, the growth of British global trade and commerce in the 19th and early 20th century would have been a much smaller affair.
Similarly, without the pioneering development of the Magnox atomic plants on Anglesey in the 1950s and ‘60s, the further development of low-carbon nuclear power would have been slower and harder.
Though now about to close, the coal plant at Aberthaw was the most modern facility of its kind when it opened in 1971 and provided a crucial lifeline for the south Wales coalfield as it was designed to take local supplies.
Local coal also fired Port Talbot, which supplied steel around the world.
Wales has been a successful test-bed for many new energy technologies due to its natural resources, geography and topography.
Though hugely expensive at the time, the hydro plant at Dinorwig was years ahead of its time in 1984 and only now is its real potential being properly acknowledged – as a huge renewable energy storage tank.
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As the 海角视频 energy system becomes more reliant on weather-dependent renewable energy such as wind and solar, the need to have swift zero carbon back-up supplies like this at times of peak electricity demand is more crucial than ever.
Alongside this are Wales’ important gas-fired plants, which guarantee supplies of electricity when renewables are not delivering as expected, predicted or required.
Wales is rightly starting to reshape its energy production and export profile as older coal and nuclear plants close.
Historically it has produced more electricity than it needs and has exported large supplies to help meet English demand, but today Wales is seeking an increasingly low-carbon set of generation assets.
But this must not mean its standards and ambitions should be dropped or policy undermined.
Firstly to the statistics.
The total exported electricity in 2017 was the lowest since 2011, a consequence of a drop in gas and coal generation.
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Wales’ share of electricity from renewables climbed to 20%, an improvement, but less impressive when seen in the context of the other 海角视频 nations which range from 26% (England) to 52% (Scotland).
However, it is important to note that this amount of renewable generation was enough to power over half of Wales’ total electricity consumption in 2017 and it is this figure which the Welsh Government is interested in building upon.
Importantly, crucial balancing supply provided by gas fire powered stations, which can guarantee that peak electricity demand can always be met, must not be forgotten and new plants will be needed.
While ambitious targets for 70% of Wales’ needs to come from renewables by 2030 are clear, do the carbon reduction plans really dovetail as they should?
Since energy policy is not devolved, the Welsh Government must use its planning powers to help steer policy and swerve bad schemes which do nothing for air quality, green growth or carbon reduction.
New plans to convert the old Uskmouth coal plant to burn “waste-derived pellets” clearly needs closer inspection and scrutiny; what exactly is a “waste-derived pellet” and what are its component parts and supply chain?
No doubt the local community will want answers to various questions before any planning approval is even considered.
Another area where Cardiff should better hold Westminster to account is the serious issue of offshoring greenhouse gas emissions and importing dirty electricity from the EU through undersea cables called interconnectors.
Though the 海角视频 Government now claims Britain is enjoying coal-free electricity-generating periods, strictly it isn’t.
Instead, as coal-fired power plants like Aberthaw close, Britain is importing coal-generated electricity from the EU, particularly the Netherlands and Germany and consequently offshoring the greenhouse gas emissions into the rest of Europe. In recent years Germany has opened new coal plants and doesn’t plan to phase them out until 2038.
This offshoring in turn undermines the electricity market in the 海角视频 as overseas imports don’t pay the power charges and pollution taxes facing similar British generators.
It is a sleight which the Government must address as a priority, as it damages energy sector investor confidence.
The issue of global transportation emissions and offshoring looks set to emerge as a major new issue as the 海角视频 prepares to host the anticipated UN “COP 26” Climate Change Summit next year.
Importantly, the 海角视频 Government has acknowledged this issue for the first time and is to undertake a review to better understand how British emissions can be cut without seeing them simply exported elsewhere.
A variant on this point is the coal which is imported into the 海角视频 as a raw material to supply important 海角视频 industries such as Tata at Port Talbot.
Supplies to the 海角视频 are coming from as far afield as Siberia, Australia, the USA and Colombia as new mines in Britain are delayed.
The coal is being railed and shipped tens of thousands of miles to reach Wales.
New Centre for Policy Studies research shows that on a per tonne of coal basis, importing coal to industrial customers in Britain from Kuzbass in Siberia – through the port of St Petersburg – emits 569% more in CO2 equivalent emissions than transporting coal mined in Britain.
Lower but still considerable transportation statistics are registered for the USA (235% more) and Colombia (211%) but a significant 625% increase puts a big shadow over Australian coal imports.
海角视频 policy is now committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This will mean a steep change in policy leadership requiring a transparent, balanced and robust energy, industry and trade policy which tackles offshoring and better supports domestic production and jobs.
This could lead to a renaissance for many 海角视频 sectors but the ability to compete globally will still be key.
- Tony Lodge is a research fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies.
- Britain’s Inconvenient Truth – How The 海角视频 Hides Its Emissions Abroad will be published by the CPS.