Small Scale
Renewable Energy
Generation and
Energy Efficiency
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Introduction
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The Welsh Assembly Government
has set a target of 4 tWh per
annum of electricity to be produced
from renewable energy in order to
meet the UK target of producing
10% of its electrical power by
2010, aspiring to 20% by 2020.
Less than 3% of our energy
currently comes from renewable
sources.
The guidance forms a material
consideration in the
determination of all relevant
planning applications.
Introduction
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Passive Solar Space Heating
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Solar Electricity
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Solar Water Heating
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Wind Energy
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Hydro Energy
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Biomass Energy
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Ground Source Energy
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Technologies Involving
Greater Energy Efficiency
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Furthermore, future fossil fuel
prices are thought to be upwards
with, for example, electricity prices
estimated to rise by 16 - 40%
because of the EU's emission
reduction targets and the Climate
Change Levy on sales of electricity
generated by non-renewable
means.
Schemes must be sympathetic to
local landscape quality and reflect
local power demand while the
scale, design, siting, noise
generation, impact on wildlife,
impact on residential amenity and
associated landscaping of
proposed applications are all
material planning considerations.
This leaflet is available
in accessible formats
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Because fossil fuels form very
slowly in comparison with the rate
of energy use they are considered
finite or limited resources. Using
these fuels at a faster rate than
production means that they may be
unavailable to future generations.
In addition, the burning of fossil
fuels produces greenhouse gases
and other pollutants believed to be
responsible for trapping heat that
would normally be radiated back
into space in the earth's
atmosphere and causing changes
in the Earth's climate.
All development proposals should
include appropriate renewable
energy technologies as part of their
initial conception and design and
provide details as part of their
submitted sustainability statement.
11 Further Information
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Until the industrial revolution
renewable energy sources were
virtually the only energy forms
used but over the last 150 years
society has become increasingly
reliant on fossil fuels (i.e. oil, coal
and natural gas).
Supplementary planning guidance
promotes the need for raising
awareness and sustainable design
standards. (e.g Local Planning
Guidance Note No.22 ‘Sustainable
Building’). Building regulations aim
to improve the energy efficiency of
all new buildings.
10 Simple Measures of
Household Energy Saving
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Benefits
The local development planning
strategy, as outlined in the
Wrexham Unitary Development
Plan, seeks to concentrate
development in designated
settlements thus protecting
countryside and contributing to
sustainable communities and
reducing the need to travel. It is
compatible with national objectives
and supports renewable energy
proposals and technologies.
The following are currently
available:
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Where relevant, planning
conditions relating to renewable
energy technologies will be
imposed. Certain schemes may
require the submission of a full
Environmental Impact Assessment
report. Some small-scale power
generation may constitute
"permitted development".
Planning Context
his is a series of
information sheets
amplifying local planning
objectives in a clear and concise
format in order to promote the
benefits of using small-scale
renewable energy generation,
energy efficiency and improving
building design standards.
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How we produce and use energy
for heating, lighting and hot water
has a significant effect on our
environment.
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Renewable energy has been
assigned greater political and
environmental weighting since
concerns were expressed at the
1992 Rio Earth Summit about "the
greenhouse effect" (i.e. warming of
the earth's atmosphere due to the
reduction in outgoing solar
radiation from concentration of
gases such as CO2 and global
warming (i.e. changes in the
surface-air temperature resulting
from the greenhouse effect).
Buildings are responsible for half
of the total UK energy
consumption, contributing to
significant environmental damage
and over reliance on nonrenewable fossil fuels. If buildings
and their construction use
renewable energy technologies
they will contribute to the preserve
of fossil fuels.
If buildings become more energy
efficient they require less overall
energy. The importance of building
design and construction in both
new and renovated buildings in
reducing energy demands cannot
be understated.
Renewable energy offers not only
substantial environmental and
health benefits and cost savings.
It comes from sources that are
inexhaustible: the sun, the wind,
water and the heat of the earth. It
is clean energy. Prudent use of
renewable energy helps reduce
reliance on ever diminishing
supplies of fossil fuels and reduces
emissions of greenhouse gases
thereby reducing the potential
environmental effects of global
warming.
Home owners benefit from lower
running costs as heating and
cooling and/or electricity bills
decrease. Developers benefit from
enhanced capital allowances
associated with increasingly
stringent building efficiency
legislation, a more favourable
response to development
proposals and enhanced
marketing opportunities. Local
communities benefit from
increased local employment
through the use of local materials
and labour.
For further information contact:
Planning Policy
Planning Department
Wrexham County Borough Council
Lambpit Street
Wrexham
LL11 1AR
Tel: 01978 292013
www.wrexham.gov.uk/planning
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Adopted January 2006
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