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New publicly-owned energy company for Wales launched

07 Aug 2023 3 minute read
Climate Change Minister Julie James and Plaid Cymru’s Designated Member Siân Gwenllian at the launch of a new, a publicly owned energy company for Wales.

Climate Change Minister Julie James and Plaid Cymru’s Designated Member Siân Gwenllian have announced the launch of a new, a publicly owned energy company for Wales.

Ynni Cymru, based at M-SParc, Ynys Mon, is being created to expand community-owned renewable energy generation across Wales as part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.

Early scoping work has indicated that a strong opportunity exists for Ynni Cymru to position Wales at the forefront of developing and delivering smarter local energy projects.

On a visit to the Anafon Hydro in Abergwyngregyn, which generates almost 1 GWh of electricity a year from its base in Eryri National Park, the Minister and Designated Member confirmed that £750,000 has been allocated to 11 projects in the form of resource grants over the next three years.

These include Cwm Arian for their “Heart of Dyfed Power Unlocker” project; the Dyffryn Ogwen Gynaladwy project in Bethesda to deliver solar power on community and business buildings in the Ogwen Valley; Ynni Cymunedol Gwrog’s Tanygrisiau heat project; and support to Ynni Newydd Cyfyngedig’sBretton Hall solar project.

Pathway

Climate Change Minister Julie James said: “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.

“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.

“We are taking the lead in shaping the energy system to drive Wales towards meeting its Net Zero targets and delivering on Wellbeing goals for a more prosperous future.”

Plaid Cymru Designated Member Siân Gwenllian added: “Ynni Cymru is an ambitious project which aims to give local people and communities control over local resources and renewable energy initiatives.

“As we face multiple challenges of a climate crisis and high energy bills, it is more important than ever that we develop renewable energy projects that have local benefit and ownership as a core aim.

“How we produce and consume energy is an essential part of achieving net zero and establishing Ynni Cymru is a key development in our ambitions. We also know that whoever owns energy assets is hugely important.

“Ynni Cymru’s investment in expanding community-owned renewable energy generation will help decarbonise our energy supply with sustainable green energy and directly benefit people who live in those communities.”


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Mr Williams
Mr Williams
1 year ago

This is great news. How do we switch to Ynni Cymru?

hdavies15
hdavies15
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Williams

Doesn’t look like you will be able to …just yet. This is to help local community and small business initiatives to get into the generation end of the energy market, as I understand it. Given that National Grid and major energy companies dominate the market beyond the generation stages there are still major hurdles to be overcome to ensure that people can participate in a “generate local, consume local” model. So to really add value this initiative needs to expand downstream so that the economies can accrue to the local communities. That will mean Welsh gov loosening its attachment to… Read more »

Safe
Safe
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Williams

We need to own the grid once more. Owners of the National Grid charge consumers a fortune for carrying our electricity to us. So together with other charges we pay huge bills before we pay a penny for the actual electricity. The owners of The National Grid take eye watering profits but clearly do not invested in and developed a grid system that is fit for purpose. Green energy producers are in the news for having a1 5 year wait before being connected to a National Grid that has failed to provide sufficient capacity to meet current energy demand. A… Read more »

David Pinnell
David Pinnell
1 year ago

There’s already an established business using this name: https://www.yces.co.uk/

Ap Kenneth
1 year ago

A useful addition to getting renewable energy to local markets. However this good work is totally undone by the strange stance taken on Ffos y Fran, is it not about time that the minister addressed this elephant in the room.

Erisian
Erisian
1 year ago

This sort of thing is exactly why I moved to Wales and spend a substantial part of each day learning Welsh.

Cathy Jones
Cathy Jones
1 year ago

This is a step in the right direction….

Geraint
Geraint
1 year ago

Another piece of good news for north west Wales. This development which will have its HQ close to the the new medical school based at Bangor will help to draw in sustainable high quality jobs to the area. Congratulations to Siân Gwenllian MS for continually pushing for these initiatives and getting results.

Ann
Ann
1 year ago

How does this fit with the many Developments of National Significance high.ighted recently by CPRW? If Llywodraeth Cymru approves even half of those developments there will be no room left for the smaller scale ones referred to in this article. Yet I read elsewhere that there are major obstacles in upgrading the national grid to connect all of these developments?
https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:3af2dc44-6d3f-3715-9961-cfddcb8bd571

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