SoNaRR2020: Resource efficiency - energy

Summary

Wales needs an affordable, reliable and clean energy system now and in the future.

Although our use of renewable energy makes significant and increasing contributions, Wales is still mostly reliant on using imported natural gas.

Generation of electricity from renewable sources, mainly wind and solar, has been steadily increasing over the past 10 years.

The use of bioenergy for renewable electricity and heat is also increasing.

Despite increases in renewable energy generation and use of natural gas to replace coal and other fossil fuels, total emissions from the power sector in Wales has grown by 44% between 1990 and 2016. Over the same period, overall UK emissions of greenhouse gases from the sector reduced by 60%.

Our assessment

Download the SoNaRR2020: Resource efficiency - energy chapter (PDF)

The chapter describes the importance of reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency across all sectors, whilst increasing renewable energy, to help achieve and ensure sustainable energy supply and demand.  This is vital in supporting the resilience of ecosystems.

The chapter also highlights some of the barriers to achieving this. It describes how policy, technology, behaviour changes and new ways of working could help achieve a sustainable energy system for Wales and the UK.

The pressures, impacts and opportunities for action identified by the Resource efficiency - energy chapter can be found in the natural resource registers for the ecosystems.

The Resource efficiency - energy chapter's evidence needs are included in the overall evidence needs table.