From Matthew McNulty.
WITH the amount of people unemployed in the Channel Islands and the decline in employment in the financial and other industries, is it not about time we fostered a Channel Island energy group? With CI Governments working with local businesses and entrepreneurs for a new sustainable energy policy for the CI we need to invest in new energy innovations.

With high gas and electricity prices we need to be investing in wave, wind, solar, and geothermal power, as this will be where our future jobs will be. Other countries in Europe are using new sustainable energy sources to cut their carbon footprint and the use of fossil fuels.

We have an abundance of wave power around the islands and it seems such a waste not to harness it. We can also reduce our energy costs by using solar power in conjunction with electricity companies.

We could even have a new concept of a computerised Channel Islands grid and it would take some political creativity and courage to see it get off the ground. The initial cost of such an undertaking might be high, but the benefits for future generations would be enormous.