80-year-old law overhaul could spark renewables revolution

Wednesday 31 January 2018

Plans to overhaul an 80-year-old electricity law in a bid to spark a new island wave of renewables have been given full backing by the States Assembly.

Deputy Carolyn Labey had been fighting against the introduction of controversial charges on commercial customers that wish to generate their own ‘green’ power, but call on Jersey Electricity’s back-up sources when they cannot produce enough.

She claims that scrapping the charge would help open up the renewables sector and help remove JEC’s market monopoly.

Yesterday, she reached victory in her long-running battle after securing overwhelming support from the States Assembly in a vote on the matter.

Politicians voted unanimously in favour of getting the Treasury Minister, as shareholder representative, to request that JEC drop the charge until a full competition review can be undertaken.

Pictured: The Treasury Minister, Senator Alan Maclean, will now have to ask the JEC to drop the charges.

All but one States Member – Senator Sarah Ferguson – also voted in favour of updating the 1937 Electricity Law to pave the way for renewables.

The Minister for Economic Development is also being asked to bring forward an Action Plan on how to develop the island's clean energy sector.

Only one part of her proposition – to make CICRA the JEC’s economic regulator – did not succeed. It was withdrawn amid fears that CICRA, who have recently come under strong criticism by senior political figures, was not the right choice.

In her opening speech, Deputy Labey warned that “climate change is real”, but painted a picture of the bright future an “island surrounded by sea, with huge tidal movements and a constant wind” could have if it were to embrace clean energy.

A good day. Unfortunately Senator Ferguson voted against updating the 1937 law. Let's not be too hasty! https://t.co/Y6mIm7UdHN

— Carolyn Labey (@CarolynLabey) January 31, 2018

She lamented that the issue had “rarely” featured on Ministers agendas. "Why has Government failed to take a position on this issue? Failed to encourage and support a diversification in renewables? Is it that Treasury are just grateful to bank the Annual dividend cheque of £2.5 million on the one hand, but turn a blind eye to the fact we paying out over £8 million in annual electricity bills with the other?" she questioned.

A number of politicians rose to support the deputy's proposals, including the Environment Minister and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, but Senator Ferguson gave an opposing view, using an adaptation of a Christmas carol to stress her point: "See amid the winter snow, temperature is ten below, with no power it’s such a pain, wretched windmills stopped again... Very often when it’s very cold, there is no wind."

The news will be welcomed by a number of stakeholders who wrote to States Members in advance of the debate, including local solar energy firm Sunworks, produce wholesalers and the Jersey Farmers Union.