I recently received this plea from Ricky Knight, of North Devon Greens (via Pippa Bartolotti):

Things are really hotting up here in North Devon with regard the proposed Atlantic Array. There is sadly much opposition building up against this crucial project and we are determined to support it as much as we can.

Are you able to help facilitate this for us, please? – it’s not just about an economic fight between say Port Talbot and Ilfracombe (er, no contest!) – it’s just that this is not a Nimby issue; it’s an issue of vital national interest: either the AA or Hinkley C/EDF; or in your case, either Gwynt y Mor or Wylfa B/Hitachi!

For those of us so entrenched in the fight AGAINST fracking for short-term, extreme, fossil fuel energy; it is great (in my opinion) to have something to also fight FOR in terms of vital long term, large scale, renewable energy.

According to the group’s mission statement, the Atlantic Array Supporters Group exists to:

• Promote a proper understanding of the economic benefits of the scheme
• Address the myths put against Wind Energy and off-shore Wind Turbines
• Campaign for Political support of the present proposals put forward to develop an off-shore wind farm by RWE
• Educating the public on the proposals and exposing false media reporting

The Atlantic Array Supporters Group believes the Array will provide:

• A sustainable form of energy that reduces Northern Devons impact on the environment
• A major contribution towards reducing Carbon Emissions from Northern Devon
• High quality employment prospects for Northern Devons young people
• A reduced future cost of energy in Northern Devon and make a substantial contribution to reducing fuel poverty
• The necessary impetus for the regeneration of Illfracombe
• A draw for investment into the region
• Energy security for Northern Devon in an uncertain world
• Replacement income for Northern Devons diminishing marine industry
• New opportunities for tourism

All of these points are applicable to South Wales too.

Ricky Knight points out:
“One thing RWEs presentation [see link above] does do here, which supporters often find hard to represent & quantify, is the economic one. It ticks two major boxes for me namely, the Sustainable Development one and One Million Green Jobs one (admittedly not quite that many on this project alone ..). Nicholas Stern pointed out sagely that the Climate Change camp could never achieve the success it seeks without the economic/financial strand embedded in the arguments not easy with on-shore wind, limited by so many constraints and mostly small scale but in this case, it is over-whelming. We are talking billions.”

For all these reasons, I have assured Ricky of my support, and that (I am confident) of all Bridgend and South Wales Greens.

Andy Chyba