HASTINGS & RYE LABOUR MP CANDIDATE SARAH OWEN VISITS HALES TURBINES

Following a visit to Hales Water Turbines based in Ore, Sarah is encouraged by the potential for high quality local jobs and is calling for the Government to give greater support to green energy firms by cutting red tape.
Micro hydro companies, such as Hales, face considerable delay and bureaucracy to conduct research and operate in UK waterways. This is made worse by the UK Environment Agency’s heavy-handed interpretation of European Union regulations. Most environment agencies in other EU countries have adopted a pragmatic approach with an eye kept firmly on the ultimate goal of a clean, unlimited energy source with the added advantage of providing high quality local employment.
Sarah believes that the Government can do more to help and said,
“It’s crucial to our town’s future that we create sustainable, higher paid jobs in the high tech and renewable industries. We already have clusters of these businesses, like the fantastic facility at Hales Water Turbines but they need to be properly supported with cuts to small business rates and red tape, proper decarbonisation legislation and similar tax breaks which fracking companies have recently been gifted by this coalition government.
“If this government were serious about helping our green industries which could unlock around a million jobs, they wouldn’t have given huge tax-breaks for fracking companies, strangled our solar industry by reducing the favourable feed-in tariffs, had a green deal that’s left renewable companies and customers in the lurch or have a Prime Minister who reportedly instructs his staff to ‘get rid of all this green crap…’
“It’s not just for our environment that we need to get behind our local renewable energy companies, it’s for our economy, jobs and future of our area. We need more green energy jobs in Hastings & Rye.”
During the visit, Paul Hales, Director of Hales Water Turbines, told Sarah that he feared that unless it was made easier to operate, he would have to consider moving his company to another country.
Mr Hales said,
“Tidal energy is one of the most abundant renewable, sustainable and predictable energy sources in the world. We have the potential to supply UK residents and businesses with environmentally-sound power but we need support from politicians of all colours to make this happen. I’m pleased that Sarah understands the potential of this type of green energy and I hope she will put pressure on those in power to give local firms like ours more support.”