Extract from Wales Assembly questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs - Oct 3

Nick Ramsay AM: Cabinet Secretary, an area where you do have power over is that of the infrastructure for charging electric vehicles—an issue that I raised with you last week and I'd like to return to. I recently visited the site of a proposed electric charging station adjacent to the A40 in Monmouth. The plan also, critically, includes two small-scale on-site power plants, so that the electricity that would be used in the charging station would be generated locally from renewable sources, which is far more efficient and desirable than transporting fossil-fuelled electricity along the inefficient national grid. Do you agree with me that this type of scheme is to be welcomed? It's probably going to go through a planning stage, so I don't want you to comment on the exact nature of this particular scheme, but would you agree to look at the Assembly guidance given to local authorities so that, when schemes like this come along, they are encouraged, so that we can have electricity generated locally in this way, in a way that will help the Government and all of us meet our 2030 carbon reduction target?

Lesley Griffiths AM (Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs): Yes, absolutely, as a general point, I would agree with you, and I think you made a very pertinent point around this during a debate last week. You can't just keep using fossil fuels, as you say, when you're looking at hydrogen, for instance, and electric vehicles. Obviously, I'm concerned about the national grid capacity anyway. I've had some very concerning discussions with National Grid in relation to this, so, yes, certainly as a general point I would agree with you.

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