The company aims to take advantage of the “strong opportunity” that is indicated to exist for Ynni Cymru to position Wales at the forefront of local energy projects. Image: Mat Fascione (Geoograph).
This week (7 August) saw the launch a Ynni Cymru, a new publicly-owned energy company for Wales set to bolster community-owned solar and renewable projects .
The company forms part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru, and was launched by Climate Change Minister Julie James and Plaid Cymru’s Designated Member Siân Gwenllian.
Following early scoping work, the company aims to expand community-owned renewable energy generation across Wales, taking advantage of the “strong opportunity” that is indicated to exist for Ynni Cymru to position Wales at the forefront of local energy projects.
During the launch, the Minister and Designated Member confirmed that £750,000 has been given to 11 projects through resource grants over the next three years, so far.
These include: the Dyffryn Ogwen Gynaladwy project in Bethesda to deliver solar power on community and business buildings in the Ogwen Valley; and support to Ynni Newydd Cyfyngedig’s Bretton Hall solar project.
“With the launch of Ynni Cymru we are on our pathway to meet the equivalent of 100% of our annual electricity consumption from renewable electricity by 2035, and to continue to keep pace with consumption thereafter,” said James.
“However, to reach this we need a rapid transformation of our energy system.
“The current market-based approach to the energy system is not delivering decarbonisation at the scale or pace necessary for the climate emergency and has not been retaining sufficient benefit in Wales.
“Local use of locally generated energy is an effective way to support net-zero and keep the benefit in our communities.
“Ynni Cymru will complement the great work already being undertaken by the Welsh Government Energy Service and Community Energy Wales, especially around scaling up and increasing the impact of renewable energy assets across Wales.”
Community energy is seeing a big boost in Wales of late; in July 2023, a new collaboration between five community energy groups in England and Wales, launched share offers to fund the transfer of seven operational solar farms into community ownership.
Our sister site Current± is currently running a mini-series on community energy, the latest edition of which can be found here.
Solar Power Portal's publisher Solar Media will be organising the 11th annual edition of Large Scale Solar Europe in Lisbon, Portugal during 21-22 March 2024. The event will explore the future solar markets of Portugal, Spain and Italy and with panels around securing faster grid connection, solar-wind hybrid projects and the integration of storage with solar PV among others.
