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Green party mayoral candidate Daniella Radice has today laid out intentions to help Bristol and the region become self-sufficient in renewable energy in the next two decades.
“Securing a sustainable and renewable energy future for Bristol and the south west is a realistic goal,” said Ms Radice. “A push to harness solar, wind and heat energy on a micro and macro scale to generate all our electricity, would create jobs for local engineers, technicians, architects, and keep millions of pounds in the community that would otherwise be spent importing energy. Bristol has a mass of engineering and renewable energy expertise. This is a natural aim, which marries up the resources available across the south west with our people potential. “
The Green Party’s local manifesto lays out plans to improve home insulation across the city, saving local people money on fuel bills; invest in micro generation schemes including solar, ground-source heat pumps and anaerobic digesters; and work with other local authorities to establish a nation wide network to bulk-buy renewable energy. This strategy would work alongside existing council schemes.
Ms Radice is also keen to boost proposals for large scale renewable energy projects at Avonmouth and in the Bristol channel:
“We need to work on an international stage to attract market leaders in renewable energy generation. Though the city does not have the money to directly fund these large off-site projects, we can work closely with industry and neighbouring authorities to find private and public funding to make best use of our wind and tidal potential.”
Ms Radice’s plans place on emphasis on off shore wind developments, but she is keen also to look into on shore wind, solar and tidal lagoons.
Bristol based renewable energy specialist Carla Denyer, is supportive of Daniella Radice’s goals:
“We have an impending energy crisis on our hands in the UK. With old power stations getting ready to close, and fossil fuels that will get more expensive as there are less of them, there is still a very real possibility that the lights will go out. We must avoid that, and Daniella’s policies reflect a uniquely fair and people-centred way of doing it. Communities and regions working together to generate their own renewable energy is the only way to break free from the ‘Big Six’ energy companies, and the false impression of choice between them, as they are all motivated by profit, not people’s well-being.”
Notes:
1.Daniella Radice, the Green Mayoral Candidate is an environmental specialist who has worked in the waste industry and for Network Rail. She has a website at http://daniellaformayor.wordpress.com/
2.Full information about Daniella’s manifesto commitments on energy are available here: http://data.axmag.com/data/201209/U54267_F114720/index.html?page=10
3.The Zero Carbon 2030 report shows that it is entirely possible for Britain to be energy self sufficient by 2030 http://www.zcb2030.com/renewables
4.The Greens are opposed to plans to build a tidal barrage.