THE SDLP has published its blueprint for a cleaner, sustainable and cheaper energy market in Northern Ireland.
The core principles are to focus on non-polluting energy sources; promotion of renewable energy, through financial incentives; and reducing the cost of energy by widening the energy market to cover all of the island of Ireland, as is already the case for electricity.
Other measures proposed by the SDLP are the Green New Deal, to retrofit housing stock with energy saving measures.
The party also wants electricity tariffs to incentivise the installation of solar panels and other micro energy production.
SDLP economy and energy spokesperson Sinead McLaughlin commented: “In Government, the SDLP are leading by example, pushing the boundaries for change and working in partnership across these islands for a radical response to the climate emergency.
“We have invested in hydrogen buses, park and ride facilities, rail infrastructure and active travel measures, all to ensure we transform how we have travel by more sustainable modes.”
“Northern Ireland has for too long relied on unsustainable and unsafe energy sources. We have young people being born into residential areas with dangerously poor air quality, damaging their health from birth.
“This is unacceptable.
“We must move faster towards an even greater reliance on clean energy sources, especially electricity generated by renewable sources.
“Innovation around the use of hydrogen and electricity for our transport systems offers hope for the future.
“We are very concerned about the cost of energy, which is impacting on consumers through fuel poverty and on businesses as they struggle to compete internationally.
“We must do more to bring down the cost of energy, as well as making our island more self-sustaining as energy producers.
“We want the existing all-island electricity market extended to an all-island energy market, with all-island action against the worst polluters, as well as regulatory protection for consumers and businesses.”
“It is essential Northern Ireland gets energy policy right – as the RHI debacle has proven, it has got it very wrong in recent years.”
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