Sustainable Good Practice in EU Regions

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Sustainable Good Practice in EU Regions

Written by Jake Hollyfield

Wednesday, 21 March 2012 09:14

Report of the Seminar Tour for local government in Wales in March 2012.

“The RETS project’s main objective is to improve the knowledge and competencies of local and regional policymakers (decision makers, civil servants...) in renewable energies, so as to facilitate the deployment of coherent and value added strategic renewable energies policies”

Renewable Energy Transfer Systems, Interreg EU.

1. Introduction

Eco Centre Wales decided the RETS programme was an ideal opportunity to raise awareness of local government level renewable energy installations in Europe. Projects were selected according to their replicability in Wales, for example, biomass and wind power are readily available resources and, due to some of the poorest housing stock in Europe, energy efficiency programmes are also an urgent priority. Projects were also chosen in order to represent a range of different national economies and cultures.

The repeated one day seminar was designed to equip local government departments and national bodies with ideas, contacts and real examples of what works in the clean energy sector. In order to reach as many participants as possible the event was repeated in north and south Wales over 2 days. A middle day was the ideal opportunity for a site visit to a best practice Welsh example for the European delegates.

2. North and South

At least 60 delegates booked in to each conference from a range of public, business and third sector organisations, totalling 120 for the week. Each seminar had a very different character.

St Asaph North Wales. The first seminar was held at the prestigious Optic Glandwr Centre, St Asaph, North Wales which is home to Europe’s largest CIS Photovoltaic wall. The building achieved BREEAM Excellent Rating, is a Constructing Excellence Demonstration Project and is monitored by the DTI to evaluate large-scale PV walling field trials.

The north Wales event attendance comprised almost 50% local and national government, with Gwynedd County Council bringing the most delegates. Dr Einir Young, of Bangor University chaired the bilingual seminar and facilitated some lively questions from planners, developers and council officers, especially around the two presentations on wind energy - 'effective community consultation' by Ruby Hammer of Stafford University, and Tobias Cossen of juwi AG, the German wind developers 'winning support for wind farms'.

Conversely, the south Wales seminar at Swansea University comprised over 50% third-sector which led to very lively questioning of a different persective. Peter Davies, The sustainable Futures Commissioner facilitated a very informed and inclusive problem-solving debate which delegates and speakers reported as useful and inspiring. Unfortunately only two local authorities sent officers to this event, from Carmarthen and Rhondda Cynon Taf respectively.

Both Swansea and Glandwr University donated their conference space for the day to support the aims of Eco Centre Wales' RETS project.

	St Asaph, North Wales	Swansea, South Wales
Welsh government	3	3
Local government	21	3
Business sector	9	8
Third sector	9	28
Housing organisations	1	2
Other statutory bodies	2	4
Academic	8	7
European delegates	7	7