Renewable energy developers Coriolis Energy and ESB have announced they are developing a proposal for a new wind farm near Bala.
The proposal includes up to 11 turbines, which could deliver up to 79.2 MW, equivalent to the annual needs of over 55,000 average households.
Tackling climate change is one of the Welsh Government’s top priorities and increasing the supply of renewable energy is key to reducing carbon emissions. If it is consented, Foel Fach Wind Farm would contribute to the Welsh Government’s target to reach net zero by 2050 and to meet the equivalent of 100% of its annual electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2035.
Onshore wind plays a critical role in the UK’s energy mix, being the cheapest form of new power generation in the UK and providing energy security by reducing reliance on imported energy from other countries.
Coriolis and ESB will provide an industry-leading annual Community Benefit Fund of £8,000 per MW for the operational lifetime of the wind farm. Options for local people to own a stake in Foel Fach Wind Farm are also being explored, as part of a commitment by Coriolis and ESB to meet Welsh Government’s policy aspiration for all new energy projects to have an element of local and shared ownership.
Clare Dance, Project Development Manager for Foel Fach Wind Farm said:
“We are at the early stages of developing our planning application for Foel Fach and our initial assessments indicate that this is a good site for a wind farm. At a time when climate change and the need for more renewable energy generation is clear, Foel Fach would make a significant contribution to achieving Welsh Government’s net zero targets. We also have plans to improve habitats on the site to support biodiversity.
“In the coming months we will hold a public consultation, so that residents can meet the team and find out more about our plans. We will also start discussions with groups in the area with an interest in the community fund, as well as with companies and contractors who might wish to learn more about contract and job opportunities.
“We are exploring opportunities for an innovative shared ownership offering whereby local people would be able to own a share in the wind farm in return for savings on their electricity bills. More information about how this would work will be shared in future updates.”
Coriolis and ESB will hold an initial public consultation on the proposed Foel Fach Wind Farm in autumn 2024, with the statutory pre-application consultation due to take place in spring 2025. It is expected that the planning application will be submitted to PEDW later in 2025 and the decision from the Welsh Ministers would be due in 2026.
More information about Foel Fach Wind Farm can be found at www.foelfach.cymru.
