Select committee: Welsh Affairs Committee
Conclusion 14
Second Report - Renewable energy in Wales
Published 29 Jul 2021
Paragraph 62
Addressed to Wales Office
Welsh Affairs Committee Renewable energy in Wales All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Interconnectors have been proven to provide strong benefits for decarbonisation, because of this the role of interconnectors is expected to greatly increase in the decades leading to net zero. As an interconnector in Wales would allow excess energy, which is likely to be created due to the abundance of wind energy in the country, to be exported rather than curtailed, there are clear opportunities for Wales to benefit. This is particularly significant for Welsh waters in light of the EU’s requirement for 300GW of offshore wind by 2050.
From: Welsh Affairs Committee, Second Report - Renewable energy in Wales (HC 439), paragraph 62, 29 July 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 26 October 2021 (deadline 29 September 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says it "remains firmly committed to the renewables industry across the UK, including in Wales" and responds to each recommendation by setting out existing policy and activity, with several matters left to independent bodies.
- On seabed leasing, it says this is the responsibility of The Crown Estate, which is "independent of the UK Government", and notes that TCE has confirmed its intention to hold a new floating offshore wind leasing round in the Celtic Sea.
- On small-scale generation tariffs, it states "We believe that the market should determine prices" and says the Government will review an annual Ofgem report on the Smart Export Guarantee to monitor whether the market is delivering.
- On grid constraints, it says regulation is a matter for Ofgem and that Government supports Ofgem's work to enable investment ahead of need "where the need is sufficiently certain to justify this".
- On a Welsh freeport, it says "We remain committed to establishing a Freeport in Wales as soon as possible."