RENEWABLE ENERGY- A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE IN THE SOUTH EAST

EUROPEAN AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT POLICY TO INCREASE THE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY provides a threefold opportunity for people in the South East to look at their lifestyles and change them in pragmatic and innovative ways. This was the message from the South East England Regional Assembly at the recent South East Renewable Energy Conference.

Mike Gwilliam, Director of Planning and Transport at the South East England Regional Assembly explained to over 200 delegates from local authorities, government agencies, voluntary organisations and businesses from across the South East, how the Regional Assembly is playing a major role in pushing the renewable energy agenda forward in the region. As the regional planning body for the South East, the Regional Assembly is currently reviewing the renewable energy policy within Regional Planning Guidance (RPG 9). As part of this review, the Assembly will be publishing a draft renewable energy strategy for consultation in Autumn 2002.

The Renewable Energy Strategy will:

• Set out clear regional targets to significantly raise the contribution of renewable energy over the next 20-30 years.
• Identify broad locations in the South East for the development of key renewable projects such as offshore wind farms and energy crops;
• Identify county level and sub-regional targets for moving towards renewable energy sources;
• Highlight the actions needed to deliver the targets.

Mike Gwilliam said: " The Government's new commitment to renewable energy needs to be matched in the region. Our initial work on the Regional Renewable Energy Strategy suggests that it will be quite feasible to increase the contribution of renewable energy in the South East to 20% of energy consumption, compared with barely 1% today.

"This scale of change would give the region a threefold opportunity. Firstly, we can reduce overall pollution emissions from fossil fuel. Secondly, we can create new business opportunities for firms in the region to supply renewable energy technology. Finally, we can fulfil some of our collective aspirations to adapt more sustainable lifestyles. Before the conference started today, I had an opportunity to see the excellent work Woking Borough Council has done at their Brockhill Housing Development with photovoltaic technology. We need more public bodies, businesses and individuals to follow this lead."

Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Alex Butlin, PR Executive - 01483 555221

Notes to editors:

1. The Regional Assembly is the “voluntary regional chamber” for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
2. The Assembly is made up of 111 members including elected councillors nominated by the region’s local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations).
3. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
1. It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
2. The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
3. The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007