Jun 20 - Western Morning News, The Plymouth (UK)

Hopes of the Westcountry becoming a global leader in green energy could be dashed by complex red- tape and an ancient National Grid network, MPs warn today.

Ministers have repeatedly hailed Devon, Cornwall and Somerset as having the potential to lead the world in wind, wave and tidal power.

A "big hi-tech, green renewables drive" could boost the region's economy and set the pace of change in the industry across Europe and beyond, South West Minister Ben Bradshaw has claimed.

But a highly critical report from a committee of MPs, published today, reveals a catalogue of obstacles to realising that dream which could see the UK miss its own renewable energy targets.

The Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee blames a "lack of urgency" from the Government and expresses "frustration" that, despite warm words, detailed plans have not been put in place to ensure power generated from green sources can reach the National Grid.

A major study has been ordered into the potential of exploiting the power of the Severn Estuary with a massive barrage while the Westcountry has eight operating wind farms, with more in the pipeline and a wave hub planned for West Cornwall.

But in evidence to the committee, Nick Harrington, manager of the Wave Hub Project, said such technologies could falter in the future because their coastal location puts them too far from the grid.

"Most of our transmission network is in the centre of the country because traditionally the generation was in the centre," he said, adding that "quite significant" investment would be needed to open up the system.

The committee's report said the "research funding landscape" was too complex, the wait for planning consent too lengthy and access to the electricity grid too limited. There was also a shortage of people with the necessary skills to deliver renewable electricity- generation projects efficiently.

Committee chairman Phil Willis told the WMN that the Westcountry should be "totally self-sufficient in terms of using renewable energy to generate electricity - no question about it". But he blamed a "sense of Government delusion that if they say something often enough something will happen".

Any hope of meeting the 2020 European target of 35 per cent of electricity coming from renewables would require a "quantum shift" in the Government's stance, he said.

"There aren't the policy leaders there to make this happen." In a bid to head off today's criticism, the Government yesterday released comments from its Renewables Advisory Board that the UK could generate 14 per cent of its total energy from renewables by 2020.

It would only be possible if a set of identified radical policy changes were put into effect quickly, including accelerating grid studies, streamlining the planning consent processes and "most importantly, strong political leadership".

Earlier this year it emerged that a flagship fund worth pounds50 million to develop wave and tidal power had attracted just two applicants - and both have been turned down. Industry experts warned in February that the criteria for the Marine Renewables Deployment Fund was "too strict" and Devon and Cornwall could lose out to other countries more supportive of eco-power generation.

(c) 2008 Western Morning News, The Plymouth (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.