Northwest reasserts its commitment to renewables
Wednesday 17 February 2010
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| NWDA has announced a £4 million investment fund for large-scale renewable projects to be developed in rural areas |
The revised Northwest Climate Change Action Plan for 2010-2012 has been published by the region's development agency to refocus its commitment to renewable energy and moving towards a low carbon economy.
The Plan, first published in 2006, was launched at the third annual Climate Change Conference in Manchester last week (February 12), where the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) also announced a £4 million investment fund for large-scale renewable projects in rural areas.
The Rural Carbon Challenge Fund forms part of the Rural Development programme for England - an EU approved programme used to safeguard and enhance the UK's rural environment and foster competitive and sustainable businesses and thriving communities.
It will deliver a minimum of five large-scale renewable projects in rural areas, providing training and support to encourage social and micro-enterprises to develop renewable energy projects.
Action Plan
The Climate Change Action Plan sets out how the region must refocus its priorities against what it describes as the background of an evolving international agreement, an ambitious national policy agenda, and a challenging new regional strategy.
According to the revised Plan, a key priority for the region is to capitalise on natural and economic strengths in areas such as offshore wind, nuclear, marine and biomass.
Another top priority outlined by the NWDA is supporting the development of a low carbon energy infrastructure to facilitate what it claims are the future challenges of smart grids, larger scale energy projects, increased electrification and connectivity of low carbon energy assets.
It adds that by 2020, the Northwest should see the emergence of significant numbers of local energy schemes providing power and heat to communities and business, utilising biomass, anaerobic digestion, micro-hydro, combined heat and power, solar, wind and heat pumps.
The Action Plan calls on Envirolink NW - which aids the development and growth of the energy and environmental technologies and services sector in the region - to help achieve this by working on market development and supply chain opportunities for biomass, including energy from waste, offshore and onshore wind and marine energy generation.
Commenting on the launch of the Plan, Robert Hough, chairman of NWDA, said: "Whilst much has already been achieved in the region, the first Climate Change Action Plan was only the beginning of our response. The emerging Regional Strategy for the Northwest will help to build on the Government's focus for delivering sustainable economic growth.
"With a growing emphasis on the challenges and opportunities climate change presents, developing a low carbon economy will be essential in delivering our wider vision for the region's future."
He added that the new Action Plan provides a clear and robust framework to ensure the Northwest is in the best position to contribute to national carbon reduction targets and increase resilience to climate impacts.
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