Low Carbon Summit points to a renewable future in Wales
A visionary new project will deliver sustainable energy to thousands of homes, and provide skilled jobs for local people.
The Welsh Assembly Government announced a major new sustainable energy programme – arbed – at The Wales Low Carbon Summit on 12 November 2009 which was held at British Gas’s new Green Skills Centre in Tredegar.
arbed means ‘to save’ in Welsh, and speaking at the summit, Environment Minister Jane Davidson and Leighton Andrews, Deputy Minister for Regeneration, gave details of the scheme’s first phase.
This will see an investment of over £30m in improving the energy performance of Welsh homes via social housing providers – through sustainable energy technologies such as solid wall insulation, solar hot water, photovoltaics and micro combined heat and power (CHP).
arbed began with the Heads of the Valleys in October 2009. More than 500 homes here have been fitted with solar or photovoltaic panels or had air-source heat pumps installed, with almost 1000 further homes by the end of the year. Photovoltaics have also been installed in 12 schools and solar hot water in five sheltered housing schemes.
The BRE (Building Research Establishment) is working with the Welsh Assembly Government to offer technical guidance and expertise in assessing the housing stock for suitable technologies that will hugely increase their energy efficiency.
The scheme will have a combined effect of reducing the carbon footprint of Wales, cutting fuel poverty, and creating skilled jobs in the six Regeneration Areas. For example, arbed will open up business opportunities for companies involved in renewable technologies and domestic energy efficiency, from design and manufacture to installation and maintenance.
“[We have] the aim of creating a hub of renewable energy business in Wales with the objective of having the highest concentration of renewable businesses in Europe. It is ambitious but achievable,” said Leighton Andrews.
There will be further funding from the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change, plus investment by energy companies, and the first 18-month phase will cover around 20 communities in six Strategic Regeneration Areas in Wales.
The Welsh Assembly Government is currently working with local authorities and major energy companies to secure Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) projects in Wales. If successful, this should generate up to £30m extra investment into the energy performance of homes in Wales' most deprived communities.
