Plans for harnessing some of Guernsey’s renewable energy sources are finally moving forward, with the States agreeing some of the “practical details” around a new Commission that will do much of the preliminary work.
The States had agreed to set up an Offshore Renewable Energy Commission in 2010, but this week they’ve agreed some of the details around how it will work and be funded.
That includes additional funding of around £500,000 to get the Commission up and running.
The Commission features in the States wider Electricity Strategy as part of long term plans to decarbonise the island’s power sources.
It will be responsible for licensing marine renewable energy, including offshore wind, with an emphasis on finding a cost effective approach to harnessing those powers.
The Commission now has to report back to the States by the end of this year on how it could do that, including any necessary legislative changes.
The Commission has already been awarded £200,000 to do this work, and it was agreed this week that an additional £100,00 will be made available.
The Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure has also been given permission to make a grant of up to £346,000 to the Commission, to help pay towards the costs of the Commission carrying out its functions during its first 12 months of operation and each year thereafter.
This money will come from the States General Revenue pot initially.
The Commission can also claim ‘officer support’ from the civil service, with a budget of up to £121,000 for that if required.
Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez presented the latest plans to the States, on behalf of the Committee for E&I.
“We are asking for up to, ‘up to’ – important – £346,000 per annum, of which £300,000 pounds has already been allocated through budget, plus up to a potential £121,000 in terms of additional cost to the States in the form of support, such as legal, IT, administrative.”
The proposals were all agreed, and work is ongoing.