Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, has urged the Welsh Government to do everything possible to support hydrogen power in Wales.
The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy brought forward a debate today calling for more support for the hydrogen energy sector right across Wales, including through the creation of a Hydrogen Strategy for Wales. At present, all the Welsh Government has is a hydrogen pathway that is only informing activities that will take place in the short term (to 2025).
Hydrogen power possesses several unique features, as a clean-burning fuel that can be stored on long timescales with scalable production through several low-carbon means.
This enables hydrogen to play a role, not only in decarbonising our energy consumption, but also in providing more resilience for the energy system and increasing the UK’s energy security.
Speaking in the Senedd, Janet said:
“Reaching Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is a very significant challenge.
“It requires urgent action across the economy, and hydrogen has a key role to play.
“We should aspire to have a hydrogen neighbourhood trial delivered as soon as possible, followed by a large hydrogen village trial, and a town pilot by the end of this decade.
“There is no doubt that low carbon hydrogen could be a versatile replacement for high-carbon fuels used today, and that Wales is well-placed to be a hydrogen powerhouse.”
And speaking on the barriers to new hydrogen development, Janet said:
“The Welsh Government must ensure that our planning authorities are properly supported to provide quick approval of hydrogen schemes.
“For example, I am aware that responses to the Welsh Government’s consultation included concerns about the planning regime.
“Some had noted that long planning timescales cause major delays to the commissioning of larger scale projects, adding an unnecessary additional risk.
“At the end of the day, we should remove all possible barriers to hydrogen, especially green hydrogen, from developing to play an even more important role in Wales.
“The Welsh Government should be doing more to promote a proper hydrogen strategy for Wales, and at heart address the major failure that we do not have a long-term strategy for hydrogen in Wales.”
ENDS
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders AS, Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Newid Hinsawdd, wedi annog Llywodraeth Cymru i wneud popeth posib i gefnogi pŵer hydrogen yng Nghymru.
Heddiw, cyflwynodd yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy ddadl yn galw am fwy o gefnogaeth i'r sector ynni hydrogen ledled Cymru, gan gynnwys trwy greu Strategaeth Hydrogen i Gymru. Ar hyn o bryd, y cwbl sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru yw llwybr hydrogen sydd ond yn llywio gweithgareddau tymor byr (hyd at 2025).
Mae pŵer hydrogen yn meddu ar sawl elfen unigryw, fel tanwydd llosgi glân y gellir ei storio am amser hir a’r gallu i ehangu cynhyrchiant drwy sawl dull carbon isel.
Mae hyn yn galluogi hydrogen i chwarae rôl, nid yn unig wrth ddatgarboneiddio ein defnydd o ynni, ond hefyd wrth wneud ein system ynni yn fwy gwydn a chynyddu diogelwch ynni'r DU.
Wrth siarad yn y Senedd, dywedodd Janet:
“Mae cyrraedd targedau sero net o ran allyriadau nwyon tŷ gwydr erbyn 2050 yn her a hanner.
“Mae angen gweithredu ar frys ar draws yr economi, ac mae gan hydrogen ran allweddol i'w chwarae.
“Dylem geisio cyflwyno treial cymdogaeth hydrogen cyn gynted â phosibl, ac yna treial pentref hydrogen mawr, a pheilot tref erbyn diwedd y degawd hwn.
“Does dim dwywaith y gallai hydrogen carbon isel fod yn ddewis hyblyg i gymryd lle’r tanwyddau carbon uchel sy'n cael ei ddefnyddio heddiw, a bod Cymru mewn sefyllfa dda i fod yn bwerdy hydrogen.”
Ac wrth siarad am y rhwystrau i ddatblygiadau hydrogen newydd, dywedodd Janet:
“Rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru sicrhau bod ein hawdurdodau cynllunio yn cael cefnogaeth briodol i roi sêl bendith cyflym i gynlluniau hydrogen.
“Er enghraifft, rwy'n ymwybodol bod ymatebion i ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynnwys pryderon am y drefn gynllunio.
“Dywedodd rhai fod amserlenni cynllunio hir wedi achosi cryn oedi wrth gomisiynu prosiectau ar raddfa fwy, gan ychwanegu risg ychwanegol ddiangen.
“Yn y pen draw, dylen ni gael gwared ar yr holl rwystrau posib i hydrogen, yn enwedig hydrogen gwyrdd, fel y gall chwarae rhan bwysicach fyth yng Nghymru.
“Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru wneud mwy i hyrwyddo strategaeth hydrogen briodol i Gymru, a mynd i'r afael â'r methiant sylweddol yn y ffaith nad oes gennym strategaeth hirdymor ar gyfer hydrogen yng Nghymru.”
DIWEDD
