Anglesey Aluminium can continue to draw electricity from the grid, as it did on the occasions when Wylfa has been shut down. And there will be many jobs at Wylfa itself during the decommissioning process.
But as the UK moves to meet its internat
ional obligations to cut emissions of CO2, the cost of fly-away holidays to the sun is sure to rise. People will increasingly come to recognise the attractions of taking holidays in the UK and Anglesey's already-thriving tourist industry will be in a very strong position to meet the demand.
The need to cut emissions of CO2 is now opening up other opportunities. Anglesey is ideal for growing energy crops such as fast-growing willow or Miscanthus grass. It is said that these kinds of crops should be grown on land that is not suitable for crops like wheat, is not peaty moorland, and is not too steep. Anglesey ticks all these boxes. There are now generous new subsidies for energy crops and, as a consequence, they may well prove to be a more attractive proposition for farmers than more traditional kinds of agriculture. These kinds of crops can also be a boon for wildlife.
And of course with a good supply of home-grown fuel, it would make sense for Anglesey to have its own local power plant to make use of it. This would be yet another source of jobs and earnings for the island -- and without all the many headaches of nuclear power (see www.mng.org.uk/gh/no_nukes.htm).
Dr Gerry Wolff
Menai Bridge,
Anglesey.
The full article contains 300 words and appears in North Wales Chron Bangor newspaper.
