ANNIE Thompsett began life on Newport's fringes at Coedkernew and now lives at Miskin near Llantrisant.

Not the biggest relocation in the world, but in between she has been on an environmental odyssey which has included a science degree at Plymouth and (currently) the top job at Carbon Trust Wales.

She leads a team of 11, most of whom are based at Nantgarw with the balance roaming around the mountains of North Wales.

The Carbon Trust is fighting a double-edged campaign to maximise energy efficiency today and improve the contribution of renewable energy sources (wind, waves, and so on) tomorrow.

"Climate change is happening and there is strong evidence that links this to carbon emissions," she says.

The trust is trying to make this issue relevant to business and to the public sector by appealing to people's pockets.

"Energy efficiency is good for your business because it enhances the bottom line by reducing costs."

The trust has convinced Celtic Manor Resort to replace 10,000 bulbs with an energy-saving variety.

"This action alone will save the hotel money and cut 800 tonnes of carbon dioxide production per annum."

The trust has also been active on the other side of Newport, working with International Rectifier to introduce a monitoring and targeting system and on-site staff training.

"This company has gone far beyond any statutory obligations and is now a leader in its sector," says Ms Thompsett.

These small but tangible victories comprise the trust's micro picture. The macro picture is more exciting but much harder for a small organisation to deliver.

"The Royal Commission on environmental pollution found that to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, carbon emissions would have to be reduced by 60 per cent by 2050.

"The trust has studied this goal and concluded that it is achievable, although 50 per cent would come from greater energy efficiency and 10 per cent from renewable energy sources."

While being supportive of on-shore and off-shore wind farms, Carbon Trust Wales is aiming to "direct its resources where it feels it can do most good."

(You also get the impression it is trying to avoid being impaled on the blades of the windmill-blight-on-the-landscape debate)

"Our budget is too small to make an impact in the wind power industry, but we can make a big difference when it comes to wave and current technologies," says Ms Thompsett.

She can also see an opportunity for Wales and the UK to get a foot in the door of what is likely to become a major industry.

"We missed the boat as far as the design and manufacturing of wind turbine technology goes, that is now dominated by Danish, Dutch and US companies. But if we push hard now we could take a 25 per cent share of the world market for wave and tidal technology."

Working with the Scottish Executive and other partners the trust has created a marine testing centre in a bay in the Orkney Islands.

"The idea is to help developers to test their kit without having to raise a fortune for grid connections or mooring devices."

It has also launched initiatives to bring together all interested parties in the design, build, financing and maintenance aspects of this embryonic industry.

"Looking at government projections: by 2010 it sees 10 per cent of energy coming from renewables, four-fifths of which will come from on-shore wind turbines. By 2020 offshore wind is a more significant factor and by 2050 wave and tidal stream will be making a major contribution.

"We have the choice of buying the technology in, as we're doing with wind power, or developing it here and exporting it to the rest of the world."

Ms Thompsett does not seem particularly hopeful about solar power, at least not for this country.

"The problem is that it's expensive to install: it's viable but not the best opportunity. We see it as a better option in developing countries where generation tends to be at the point of use."

The nuclear industry has been rehabilitated lately, usually by people who don't like the look of wind farms.

Its virtue lies in producing large amounts of energy without carbon emissions.

But Ms Thompsett is treading cautiously around this one. "We agree with the government that we should rely on a range of technologies for energy generation and nuclear is definitely one of them. But at the trust we tend not to focus on it because we can't make a difference on our budget."

She added: "You can't factor-in nuclear power without considering the issue of waste and the cost of containment."

So, for the time being, I think the message is to keep switching off those lights.