In the race to develop clean energy, it’s easy to focus on the technology, the targets, and the infrastructure. But if we miss one critical component – people – we risk slowing down or even stalling the very progress we need to make.
That’s why this year’s Marine Energy Wales conference features a dedicated session on “Empowering Cymuned (Communities)”.
It’s a conversation we should all be having, because if we want to realise the full potential of marine renewables in Wales, we can’t treat community engagement as an afterthought. We have to see it for what it really is: a foundation of success.
We often talk about offshore energy as being “out of sight” but that doesn’t mean it should be out of mind for the people who live near these developments. In fact, quite the opposite. Communities deserve to have a real and meaningful voice in how these projects unfold, because they are the ones who will live with the impacts, both the opportunities and the challenges.
This session will bring together community leaders, stakeholder engagement specialists, and developers to explore how we can do this well and what happens when we don’t. We’ll look at real examples from projects happening across Wales, highlighting what works, what doesn’t, and why it matters.
Let’s be clear: failing to involve communities isn’t just a missed opportunity, it’s a reputational and financial risk. Delays, opposition, and long-term distrust are often the result of poor or tokenistic engagement. But when developers invest in transparent, two-way dialogue, projects tend to move faster, gain more support, and deliver greater long-term value.
We want this session to be practical. We’ll share actionable strategies for building trust, aligning with community values, and establishing lasting relationships that make marine energy not just viable, but genuinely welcomed.
At the heart of our conference theme, Ushering in the Decade of Delivery, is the belief that we won’t achieve net-zero through innovation and investment alone. We need collaboration. We need community. And we need to ensure that the transition to clean energy is one that’s built with people.
Want an exclusive preview of what’s to come? Listen to the latest Green Economy Wales podcast ‘Inside Marine Energy Wales 2025' for insight into the key themes and sessions shaping this year’s Conference, HERE.
Book tickets to the conference HERE
