The Welsh Government has unveiled a new partnership with the renewable energy sector to accelerate wind, solar and tidal projects, as it pushed towards its 2035 net zero electricity target. Critics say the approach focuses too heavily on hitting targets rather than delivering affordable, reliable energy.
The move comes despite warnings that Wales is lagging behind in investment. Janet Finch-Saunders MS has also expressed concerns that North Wales is currently one of the most expensive regions in the UK for household energy, raising serious concerns whether current policies are actually benefiting residents.
Questions are also being raised over the impact of onshore developments, with fears communities will be overruled, while the UK continues to overlook domestic opportunities, including significant untapped reserves in the North Sea.
Janet Finch-Saunders, Senedd Member for Aberconwy said:
“This is what happens when ideology drives policy. Both the Welsh and UK governments are so fixated on net zero targets that they are ignoring the reality of the impacts on people, creating higher bills, damaged landscapes and growing public frustration.
North Wales already faces some of the highest energy costs in the country, yet we are doubling down on policies that risk making this worse. Instead of rushing through onshore schemes, we should be prioritising a mixture of offshore renewables, nuclear, oil, and gas. We should also be making full use of our natural resources, including the vast reserves sitting untapped in the North Sea.
We need a balanced, common-sense approach that puts affordability, energy security and local communities first, not one driven by ideology.”
