Wales Green Party is supportive of the Swansea Bay Tidal lagoon, and very much hopes the project will go ahead so that we all can evaluate the benefits of tidal energy generation.
The UK government has given the go-ahead for Swansea Bay Tidal lagoon. This will in effect be a £1billion investment in the future of Swansea, and work could start in March 2016. The lagoon could power 90% of all Swansea’s electricity needs. With savings in energy waste across the city, that figure could easily become 100%.
Pippa Bartolotti, leader of Wales Green Party said, "We need to get the idea of lagoons properly tested. Swansea will be hosting the first lagoon of its type in the world, and this will be a terrific draw to the area. Environmental tourism is in its infancy, and Swansea will reap significant financial benefits if this project goes ahead.”
"Yes we need to concern ourselves with all local environmental impacts, but this must be in the context of chronic overfishing of the seas, and the harmful greenhouse gas emissions gushing out from dirty power stations. Low carbon energy is the only way forward, and this is why lagoons make so much sense. Collecting energy from the tides is a very sustainable way forward."
The Wales leader added: “With the advent of more wind and solar energy in the area, serious fuel saving mechanisms such as better insulation in homes and offices, more frequent public transport and more efficient consumer goods, Swansea will be well on the way to being Wales’ first zero carbon city. “