Welsh communities, developers, the public sector and other partners have now just 11 weeks to share their stories of locally owned renewable energy.
Last September, Welsh cabinet secretary for energy planning and rural affairs Lesley Griffiths announced new targets for energy generation in Wales, which included 1 Gigawatt (GW) of renewable electricity capacity to be locally owned by 2030 and for renewable energy projects to have an element of local ownership by 2020.
The call for evidence ends on 30 March and will explore the challenges of meeting local ownership targets and, more specifically, whether shared ownership presents an obstacle in how resources are obtained and distributed.
Griffiths said: “We are focusing on accelerating the transition of our energy system in Wales, particularly through the increased use of renewable energy. Last September I announced ambitious new targets to deliver a low carbon energy system including local ownership and we are already making good progress.”
Two projects that recently became operational show the changes taking place, she said. Pen y Cymoedd windfarm, the largest onshore wind project in England and Wales, has seen Swedish power company Vattenfall support and create more than 1,000 jobs in Wales, delivering £1.8 million annually into a community benefit fund.
On a smaller scale, the wholly community owned Awel Aman Tawe’s wind development has seen all its profits stay within the Amman Valley and with shareholders.
A rundown of the evidence so far:
Bro Dyfi Community Renewables, Machynlleth, Mid-Wales
Community owned renewable energy co-operative locally run for residents of Dyfi Valley to own and operate two turbines located on hills above the Centre for Alternative Technology.
Technology: Wind turbines
Size: 575kW (2 turbines) generating electricity to meet the domestic need of 195 homes per year.
Ownership: Community-owned
Egni Wales Solar PV Co-op, South Wales Valley
A co-operative created to install solar panels on community buildings. Share offer raised stands at £171,000 from 94 members.
Technology: Solar PV
Size: 119kWp
Ownership: Co-operatively owned
Pen y Cymoedd Wind Energy Project, Port Talbot/Rhondda Cynon Taf
Largest offshore wind farm in England and Wales, providing over 1,000 jobs. Approximately £220 million of the £400 million project cost spent so far.
Technology: Wind turbines
Size: 228 MW (76 turbines) generating electricity to meet the domestic need of 188,000 homes per annum, the equivalent of 15% of Welsh homes.
Ownership: 100 per cent developer-owned (Vattenfall).
Griffiths, added: “However, Wales will need many more such projects at all scales and technologies, from community scale to major projects, to meet our future energy needs.
“We believe it is possible to design energy developments that local people can support and buy into. The call for evidence looks at how we can achieve this and deliver maximum benefits for the whole of Wales. I urge communities, developers, partner organisations and anyone with an interest to get involved and share their views with us.”
Other community-led renewable energy projects around south London are also growing rapidly, such as Brixton’s Energy Solar 2 which uses solar electric (photovoltaic) panels on the roofs of Styles Gardens, covering five of the housing blocks on the Loughborough Estate. The combined array will save around 16 tonnes of CO2 every year, by displacing electricity generated by coal and gas power stations. Brixton Energy Solar 4 is currently in the planning stage and aims to enable renewable energy efficiency initiatives for the community.