Welsh communities given support to build local energy projects to tackle climate change

Communities across Wales will receive a funding boost to build and control their own clean energy supply

• Great British Energy rolls out first wave of biggest public community energy investment in UK history, backing local places to cut bills and take climate action.
• Community energy groups can access more funding to build their own clean power projects.
• Communities to be offered an ownership stake in renewable energy projects, ensuring proceeds of clean power flow back into local areas.

Communities across Wales will receive a funding boost to build and control their own clean energy supply that will help to cut bills, grow local wealth and tackle the climate crisis – with the rollout of the biggest UK public investment in community energy. 

Great British Energy is today (17 September) launching £30 million funding to kick start a community power revolution – the first downpayment on up to £1 billion, announced earlier this year - with the aim to support over 1000 local and community-led clean energy projects across the UK. 

 Building on Wales’ existing commitment to community energy through the Welsh Government Energy Service, the new funding will enable more community energy groups to accelerate plans for locally owned clean power projects - from solar panels on local buildings to village-owned wind farms and hydro schemes in nearby rivers. This will help to put money back in the pockets of communities and allow them join in UK-wide climate action, following the record temperatures reached this summer due to climate change.

These will be owned by community energy groups, meaning local areas can reap the full benefits – from reduced bills for local services to ensuring profits from the clean power generated flow back into towns and villages, rather than just to energy companies.

After the heatwaves and extreme weather events seen this year, this funding will expand communities’ opportunities to helping tackle climate change, building on the support provided by Welsh Government and its delivery partners - empowering them to move away from fossil fuels with their own clean energy supply that will help cut emissions and protect their local area.

Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said: 

"All of us felt deep concern for our climate during the record-breaking temperatures we experienced this summer. 

"Ahead of New York Climate week, we are putting power in the hands of people and places, so more communities can take action. 

"Everyone deserves a stake in our energy future and through these local power projects, communities can reap the full benefits of clean energy – reducing emissions, cutting bills and reinvesting profits to benefit local areas, instead of big energy companies."

Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Kinnock said:

"Communities across Wales will be able to build more of their own clean energy projects with grants from the UK Government.

"This project puts decision-making into the hands of local people, giving them the power to bring down household bills and be part of our national effort to tackle climate change."

CEO of Great British Energy Dan McGrail said:

"Great British Energy is continuing to put communities at the heart of the clean energy transition with the GBE Community Fund and Partnerships Grant. Our vision is that every community should have the chance to build and own its own renewable energy. These grants will give community organisations and local authorities the practical support they need to get clean energy projects off the ground - lowering bills, supporting jobs and putting the benefits from energy into local hands."

Alongside funding specific local power projects, the government will also set out further details this Autumn on plans for community energy groups to be offered an ownership stake in renewable energy projects. 

This aims to create partnerships between communities and developers that will see proceeds of clean power flow back into local areas. It will bring Britain in line with countries like Germany and Denmark, where this type of ownership set up is already widely used – allowing communities to benefit directly from local clean power.

Several such partnerships are already being developed in Wales and the work by GBE could help widen access to more communities.

From: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Wales Office, Great British Energy, The Rt Hon Stephen Kinnock MP and The Rt Hon Miatta Fahnbulleh MP