Yesterday's Wall Street Journal had a fascinating article, "Wales Targets Clean Technology," that should provide a model for Virginia regarding what's possible when it comes to clean energy development possibilities.
Wales may have been well known in the past for its coal mines and polluting heavy industry but now the region wants to cash in on the growing financial opportunities in low-carbon development by combining its natural resources in renewables with innovation in clean technology.By 2025, Wales wants to generate all its electricity from renewable sources and even become a net exporter -- an aim analysts say is feasible. In the meantime, the regional government is working to attract companies involved in the research and innovation side of the sector with a view to becoming a leading center for alternative-energy research and development in the United Kingdom.
By the way, we're talking big money here: "the regional government's plan to increase green electricity output to 16 gigawatts by 2025 from 400 megawatts now will require around GBP 26 billion." That's about $50 billion, a significant percentage of Virginia's "gross state product" of $327 billion.
This is what we're talking about for Wales:
Wales is betting on two huge projects: the GBP 15 billion Severn Estuary tidal barrage and the largest biomass plant in the world in Port Talbot to generate the bulk of electricity. Wind farms, biomass and marine energy -- such as wave power and tidal power -- would supplement the total.In tandem with the renewables targets, Wales is working to boost investment in clean technology -- a sector that includes solar photovoltaic cells and hybrid cars, as well as research into energy efficiency in buildings and power stations.
Sounds pretty good, right? Well, you're right -- it does. And this is why it could work in Virginia as well:
Companies and analysts say the streamlined bureaucracy and decision-making process in Wales, access to skilled labor and proximity to universities for research and development have made the region an ideal location to set up a clean-tech business.
Let's see, "streamlined bureaucracy?" Check -- Virginia's been called the best state to do business in America, so it appears we have that. "Access to skilled labor?" Check -- one of the most highly educated populations in the world lives right here in Virginia. "Proximity to universities for research and development?" Check -- from UVA to Virginia Tech to George Mason to James Madison, etc., etc. Oh, and let's not forget the high concentration of high tech companies already in Virginia.
The bottom line is this: Virginia has many of the same attributes that Wales has for developing a powerhouse renewable energy/energy efficiency sector. True, we don't have as great a wind and tidal potential as Wales, but we almost certainly have greater high-tech R&D and university resources in place. Plus, we do have offshore wind and wave potential, combined with enormous "low-hanging fruit" for energy efficiency. In sum, if Wales can do it...so can Virginia!