West Wales had its very own ‘energy fortnight’ in the Welsh Parliament, following two weeks of debates, receptions, and speeches; all of which focused upon West Wales’ unique ability to spearhead the UK’s energy security.
The fortnight kicked off with Samuel Kurtz MS, the Senedd Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, pressing First Minister Mark Drakeford on ensuring that the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales were streamlined in their support of renewable energy projects to ensure opportunities weren’t missed.
Later that evening, Mr Kurtz welcomed over 120 stakeholders to the Senedd to celebrate and promote The Haven Waterway Future Energy Cluster, a coalition of energy companies, renewable developers, and green technology innovators, all choosing to invest in West Wales, both on and offshore.
On Wednesday 18th January, the Welsh Conservatives hosted an important debate on offshore renewables, which saw Senedd Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire Paul Davies MS and Samuel Kurtz MS champion West Wales’ floating offshore wind capacity.
During the debate, both Senedd Members advocated for South-West Wales’ Celtic Freeport bid, a multi-faceted consortium which, if successful, is set to bring £5.5 billion in new investment, 16,000 new high-quality green jobs and £1.4billion in port infrastructure and facilities, to our doorstep.
The energy fortnight was eventually closed with Paul Davies MS inviting representatives from the floating offshore wind industry to the Senedd, as part of an evening promoting Pembrokeshire's vast potential in producing green and clean renewable energy with the Celtic Sea Developer Alliance.
Speaking about the energy fortnight, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz said:
“It’s been a pleasure to put West Wales firmly on the map given our energy opportunities. Our significant corner of Wales has so much potential; the last fortnight has been the perfect example of that.
“With floating offshore wind, blue and green hydrogen creation, and the development of wave and tidal technologies, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire are quickly becoming a critical asset in the UK obtaining energy security.
“With cheaper, cleaner and greener energy being created on and off our coastline, coupled with the potential Celtic Freeport, we can bring billions of pounds in investment and thousands of jobs to our communities. This is transformational for the communities I am proud to represent, and I will continue to bang the drum for this area.”
Preseli Pembrokeshire Senedd Member Paul Davies added:
“This is an exciting time for Pembrokeshire and I sincerely hope that the area will be at the forefront of developments in fields like floating offshore wind.
“I’ve been proud to work with industry and stakeholders to push for a Celtic Freeport, which will help accelerate new green industries such as floating offshore wind, as well as have huge economic benefits for west Wales.
“I’ve long said that Pembrokeshire is the energy capital of Wales and we must continue to do all that we can to support and nurture these sectors so that Pembrokeshire can be a global leader in these fields.”
