A pilot carbon capture project from coal fired power stations started recently in Germany but there are still question mark over the application of the technology and job creation would be minimal. However investment in green energy could deliver significant job creation. The massive under-utilisation of our green resources is reflected in job figures. According to government-sponsored research, the UK has, at very best, 26,000 jobs in renewable energy. By contrast, Germany has 250,000 jobs. With the right investment, the Wales and the rest of the UK has the wind resources to be a European green industry leader.
As well as reducing carbon emissions and increasing energy security, wind power also creates a large number of jobs per TWh unit. While nuclear produces 75 jobs per TWh per year, oil and gas around 250 jobs, wind produces up to 2,400 jobs.
The government's own research shows that investing in wind could generate 43,000 new green jobs. This depends on developing turbine manufacturing in Wales and across the UK. Without a major focus on developing that industry, these projections shrink to less than 7,000 jobs.
John Matthews, Wales Green Party 2009 euro list candidate, said "Any development of the coal industry in Wales will lead to environmental destruction and further increases to carbon dioxide emissions which are known to cause climate change."
"We need to follow the examples of country's like Germany where over a quarter of a million people are employed in the renewable energy sector. In Portugal they plan to have 45% of their energy from renewable resources by 2010. A new wave energy system is being put in place at this moment which will help achieve this target. Ironically this wave power system has been developed by a Scottish company. Yet again we see the new technology developed in the UK not being used in this country."
He continued "Our politicians cling to the old and damaging coal and nuclear. When with the political will and investment we could be a world leader in the green and clean systems that would power our electricity well into the future."
