A county energy strategy and action plan took a step nearer reality when renewable energy specialists and councillors met in Cheltenham to consider ways to conserve energy and find new sources.
Several measures were called for – not least the appointment of an energy champion to unify the county campaign and overcome any barriers.
Gloucestershire First, the county-wide economic partnership, has commissioned research in an effort to create a realistic approach towards sustainable energy and secure the backing of policy and decision makers.
A study will look at ways to quantify the county’s energy needs, to secure energy supply, to become more energy efficient, reduce greenhouse gas emission and lessen the environmental impact of waste.
With recent events drawing attention to the fragility of supply, some experts feel that hydrogen could become a reliable and clean transport fuel if produced from sustainable energy sources, such as solar power, wind, biomass, wave, clean coal, nuclear and hydro-electric energy.
Commenting on findings to date, Gloucestershire First chairman Michael Tallett-Williams said that an exploration of the energy potential of the River Severn would be included in research now underway.
“It is early days but the most likely outcome of this review is that, if we can increase sustainable energy supply locally to its commercially-achievable limit, it would significantly increase our efficient use of energy and enable us to source the rest from large-scale providers.”
Since the initiative was launched in November, over 250 county organisations have been invited to participate and offer their views by the specialist energy consultancy Energy for Sustainable Development (ESD).
It estimates that the value of energy associated issues in Gloucestershire will be £7 billion by 2020 with social, economic and environmental consequences for us all. For example, ESD says that transport fuel duty of £570m could be saved if 10 per cent of vehicles were powered by alternative fuel.
“No single organisation can deliver the county’s target for change,” say ESD. “We must all sign up to a sustainable energy and carbon reduction policy with special environmental and energy conditions for the use of council-owned land.”
The report suggests that local authorities must liaise with developers, planners, technology suppliers and service providers if a co-ordinated strategy is to be achieved.
“The county will need an experienced champion to overcome any barriers to this, a new energy website to communicate with the general public, while exploring links with the evolving Gloucestershire waste management planners.”
Gloucestershire First regards sustainable energy as a key area for business development and job creation. “We need to ensure we share in any potential benefits. At some point they will provide new impetus for the rural economy while enabling us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” says Catherine Farrell of Gloucestershire First.
“We are aiming for a solution and a plan that gives guidance on the future use of energy with clearly-stated policies and realistic options,” said Mrs Farrell, a guest speaker at the conference.
Other guest speakers included Duncan Bardsley from the Carbon Trust, Sarah Hendel-Blackford from the South West Climate Change Impact Partnership and Arthur Champion from Zurich Financial Services.
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Issued on behalf of Gloucestershire First by Tony Haynes Eastwood Public Relations tel 01242 253707. 24/2/06