Watson - We still have a lot of green energy potential to unlock

4.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 6th Oct 2008

Following the visit to the South West today by EU Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, local Liberal Democrat MEP Graham Watson who accompanied the Commissioner's tour - commented that the region has a lot to be proud of, and the event showed that we still have a lot of green energy potential to unlock.

Graham Watson commented;

"I know the Commissioner was impressed by the projects and proposals he saw today. Already we have many green energy projects underway, that are producing cheap, emission free energy.

Nonetheless the region has a lot of green energy potential still to unlock. Across Europe the renewable energy sector is creating many new jobs, and there is no reason why this region cannot be at the forefront of that industry."

Editors notes

Todays visit by the Latvian EU Commissioner is his second to the South West, in 2007 he opened the Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership Office.

The regions renewable energy sector is now worth £215 million a year for the South West's economy and has seen a massive 37% year on year growth in employment over the last 3 years.

The sector could expand further creating thousands more jobs under proposals outlined in the Governments Renewable Energy Strategy which is designed to help the UK meet targets of generating 15 % of its energy from renewables by 2020.