Cadogan Enright, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
Down District Councillor Cadogan Enright has welcomed the support of some fellow Councillors in passing a motion on Monday night calling for support for the local renewables industry.
“The motion I put before the Council was asking them to express their concern that recent separate decisions by Ministers Dodds and Robinson in the Assembly, which when taken together, will effectively end the renewable energy industry in Northern Ireland. This industry has developed to provide cleaner, cheaper energy and heating for homeowners and will become increasingly important in tacking climate change.”
He continued, “It is encouraging that the other Councillors in Down District Council recognise the importance of the climate change issue and that in dealing with this threat we can take advantage of opportunities for creating highly-skilled, private sector jobs. The renewable sector employs almost 600 people in 66 businesses in County Down alone and over 1600 across Northern Ireland. It is therefore essential that we support this industry and ensure that it has the capacity to deal with an increased need for renewable energy in the future.”
“I am particularly grateful to the SDLP, DUP and Sinn Fein Councillors who have recognised the social, economic and environmental benefits of supporting an industry which allows energy security, self-sufficiency and lower running costs for all buildings, while at the same time improving the environment. We already have twice the number of people working in renewable energy in County Down that would be employed in any nuclear power. Termomax in Bangor alone have produced about 7 million evacuated tubes so far, which are now producing approximately 122,500,000 megawatts of power annually worldwide. Remember, a fossil fuel powerstation can only produce 250 to 300 megawatts an hour at full capacity.
Cllr Enright concluded, “An important part of the motion was that if it were passed, it would be copied to all the Councils in Northern Ireland for debate, so hopefully Down District can lead the way in campaigning on this important issue.
Press Cuttings: Support for renewables, Recorder, Support for Renewables, Observer