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An independent group of 14 States' members who are preparing to unveil their ideas on renewable energy believe they have "the potential of attracting billions of pounds of inward investment into Guernsey".
They were hoping to publish three reports - on solar, tidal and wind power - today or tomorrow, but now plan to release them on Monday afternoon, initially to other deputies and then to the media.
Deputy Carl Meerveld recently confirmed to Express that the group of 14 first came together in October last year at a meeting organised by Deputy David De Lisle. Yesterday, Deputy De Lisle emailed his political colleagues confirming arrangements for publishing the group's reports.
"With the potential of attracting billions of pounds of inward investment into Guernsey, the release of these reports is likely to garner significant public interest," said Deputy De Lisle in the email seen by Express.
"It would be great if you could attend both the members' presentation and the media presentation afterwards as everyone included in this email will be credited as part of the working group and may be approached for comment."
Pictured: In an email sent to other politicians and seen by Express, Deputy David De Lisle wrote that the renewable energy ideas of the group of 14 States' members which he is co-ordinating had the potential to attract billions of pounds of investment into Guernsey.
The group of 14 have been working independently of States' committees, including the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure, which is close to finalising an electricity strategy to go to the States' Assembly early next year.
The President of the Policy & Resources Committee, Deputy Peter Ferbrache, confirmed yesterday that he and two other members of his Committee - Deputies Mark Helyar and David Mahoney - are among the group of 14.
"I'm on that group; Deputy Helyar is on that group; Deputy Mahoney is on that group. I haven't done much about it - they've done quite a lot," said Deputy Ferbrache.
Pictured: Deputy Peter Ferbrache yesterday told a scrutiny hearing that it could be helpful for individual deputies to work together on policy ideas outside of the normal States' committee structure.
Appearing at a public hearing hosted by the Scrutiny Management Committee, Deputy Ferbrache defended the group of 14 working independently of the States' committee structure and rejected a suggestion that its work was "factional".
"I think they are entitled to look at it," said Deputy Ferbrache.
"If, say, 10 or 12 States' members...wanted as a group to address that then the way to do it would be, as is being done with energy, to speak in due course, as I'm sure will happen, to the relevant committees who have responsibility for energy and say - this is the work we've done, do you think it's helpful, what do you think?
"There isn't a committee that is underworked as far as I'm aware, so any assistance they can get from somebody else is fine. I don't think you can say that just because you're not a member of Environment & Infrastructure or Education, Sport & Culture that you can't deal with environmental or educational matters.
"I think it's helpful. If that particular group said this is our information, we're keeping it to ourselves, we're not telling you, that would be rather pathetic. But to say we've done this research, this is what we've done so far, then discuss it with other committees and other States' members to say what do you think...I don't think it's factional - I think it's actually informational."
Pictured: Deputy Carl Meerveld said that the independent group of 14 deputies was working "in a more business-like manner" than is familiar to States' committees and the civil service.
Deputy Meerveld recently told Express that the group of 14 was working "to review opportunities for renewable energy initiatives in a more business-like manner by identifying opportunities first [and] then considering obstacles to pursuing those opportunities, which may include States’ policies".
"[It's] an opposite approach to the one taken by many States' committees and civil servants, who often try to establish a policy direction and then only consider opportunities which fit with that policy direction," said Deputy Meerveld.
"This larger group of deputies formed three sub-groups focused on solar, tidal and wind renewable energy opportunities with the intention of producing reports to be presented to the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure and the Policy & Resources Committee for their consideration."
Deputy Meerveld said the group of deputies hoped to influence committees' and States' policy rather than putting forward an extensive alternative policy of their own.
"The work being done by the renewable energy group is synergistic with the work being undertaken by the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure on the future energy strategy and will help inform the policy debate," he said.
"The work being undertaken analyses opportunities which may help influence strategy and policy. They are not intended to be an alternative policy."
Pictured: Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez and her Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure has been consulting stakeholders ahead of taking a draft electricity strategy to the States' Assembly in the first quarter of 2023.
Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, the President of the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure, recently told Express that decisions facing the States about the future supply of electricity "will be among the most important of this political term and arguably this generation".
She said that she welcomed the input of the independent group of deputies and hoped the States would make decisions based on evidence and data after extensive consultation with stakeholders.
The local think tank GPEG recently urged the States to speed up plans for renewable energy and said "it is unwise to underestimate the ability of our politicians to delay the issue...doing basically nothing before the next election is possible and far from unlikely".
Pictured (top): Deputies Carl Meerveld (left) and David De Lisle.
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