Economy Secretary Jeremy Miles has said it’s “time to rewire the country” as he launched a publicly-owned renewable energy developer for Wales.
Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru has been established to accelerate the development of renewable energy projects, particularly onshore wind, on the wider Welsh public estate and maximise their value for communities.
A new team, based in Merthyr Tydfil, will be working alongside Natural Resources Wales to develop wind farms on the woodland estate. The Welsh Government said the team would begin engaging with communities near initial sites “at the earliest opportunity”.
The Economy Secretary Jeremy Miles highlighted access to the grid network as an issue in delivering on plans for renewable energy, saying:
“We have a long road ahead and we will not see funding starting to flow for some years – but the work to better secure our energy future starts today.
“One big challenge in Wales is access to the grid network, which will be the key factor in when we can build and connect projects. There are a whole range of reforms to how grid is designed and built, and to how people connect, that should improve matters but what’s clear is that we will need new electricity grid across Wales.
“We can’t expect 60-year-old infrastructure to meet the very different needs of the next century. It’s time to rewire the country and I want us to do it in a thoughtful way that recognises the impacts and costs alongside the benefits.”
Mr Miles also launched a cross-Government plan for decarbonising the heating of homes, commercial properties and industry.
The new Heat Strategy for Wales looks across homes, businesses, industry and the public sector at what each area will need to make the change to low-carbon energy systems.
Mr Miles said:
“I am far from convinced that leaving everything to the market is going to get us to the prosperous low carbon future that we are committed to delivering. And certainly not quickly enough.
“About half the energy we use in Wales goes on heating – homes, businesses, industrial processes. Around 75% of this is generated using fossil fuels.
“We’ve committed in law to achieve a low carbon energy system and have been working with all local authorities across Wales to understand what is involved in the delivery of low carbon energy system.
“We need to build awareness and confidence in new technologies, we need to train engineers to install new solutions. We also need to develop supply chains so we can create new green jobs making products in Wales.”
Speaking at the launch of the schemes in Bryncynon in the Cynon Valley, Mr Miles outlined how one example being considered is whether warm water in old mine workings can be used to heat homes in former mining communities. He said work was at a very early stage but that the Coal Authority has produced detailed maps highlighting where there is potentially accessible minewater.
He said:
“It won’t be cheap or easy to make this happen but it’s an exciting opportunity we’ll be exploring to bring benefits from our coaling heritage in Wales in our net zero society.”
UK Government Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
“The people of Wales will benefit hugely from the sustainable, homegrown clean power from Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru.
“I look forward to working closely with the Welsh Government as we make Britain a clean energy superpower, including setting out the first steps of Great British Energy, boosting our energy independence and bring down bills for good.”
Richard Evans, Chief Executive Officer of Trydan, said:
“In Wales, we have a history of social collaboration and engagement, which Trydan will continue. For people to support more and faster deployment, the renewable sector will need to visibly embed benefits into local communities, invest more in Welsh and UK supply chains, and help residents and businesses worried about energy bills.
“Today we launch our engagement seeking to bring Welsh citizens with us on this exciting journey. Next, we’ll be reaching out to local communities to discuss very early plans associated with priority projects on the Welsh woodland estate.
“There are great professionals within the industry in Wales – I’m happy to have recruited several to work alongside me in Trydan – and we look forward to working with all key players, including communities, on strategic goals and on shaping our projects from their inception.”
Andy Fewings, Energy & Renewables Partner at Bidwells, a property consultancy currently overseeing the development of 4.2 gigawatts of onshore wind projects across the UK, including Wales, said:
“The formal launch of Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru is a fantastic boost to the renewables sector in Wales and will help move us closer to net aero.
“It will be crucial for Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru to take the public along with them and raise awareness of the benefits a just transition to net zero will bring to the people of Wales in terms of energy bills, jobs, supply chain opportunities and the Welsh economy as a whole as well as those crucial climate and biodiversity targets. The importance of Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru clearly communicating the benefits, particularly in the context of the huge infrastructure improvements which will be needed to connect these projects to the grid, cannot be understated.”
Jessica Hooper, RenewableUK Cymru Director, said:
“Trydan will focus on speeding up the delivery of onshore wind projects on Welsh Government-owned land, with a particular focus on forestry areas. As a sector we are very much looking forward to collaborating with the Trydan team to speed up the delivery of renewable energy projects and bring significant benefits to the people of Wales, including enhanced energy security, reduced energy bills, substantial community benefits worth millions of pounds, and the creation of thousands of jobs.
“We need to build four times as much wind power capacity in Wales over the next ten years to transition away from fossil fuels and produce enough clean energy to heat our homes and power our cars. The partnership approach we are developing here in Wales between the public and private sectors positions us well as the UK Government outlines the next steps for Great British Energy. Having a united front on achieving net zero gives Wales the best chance of removing obstacles and accelerating project delivery.”
