Will the Minister confirm whether the Welsh Government regulates carbon dioxide emissions from our nation's incinerators and whether this approach will be updated to remain in lockstep with Wales's targets on carbon neutrality?
In Wales, the environmental requirements placed on incinerators under the environmental permitting regime help to manage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. While the Welsh Government does not place installation level limits on carbon dioxide emissions from incinerators, under the permitting regime the climate impact of the incinerator is addressed through the application of Best Available Techniques (BAT) Associated Energy Efficiency Levels and other energy efficiency requirements.
I made a commitment in Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales to develop a policy on combustion of fuels for power, which includes generation from biomass and waste. We require a robust evidence base to underpin any future action on reducing the combustion of fuels to generate electricity in Wales, in line with our ambitious decarbonisation targets. We commissioned a study on the options for implementing policies to reduce emissions from the power sector and are currently considering the additional evidence required to inform this important and complex policy area.