Publicly owned renewable energy developer announces first projects
The publicly owned renewable energy developer for Wales, Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, has announced plans for three new wind farms with the potential to generate enough power to supply 350,000 Welsh homes’ annual average electricity needs.
These are the first projects announced since Trydan’s launch in 2024 and marks a significant step towards the company’s ambition to develop 1 GW of new renewable energy generation capacity on Welsh public land by 2040.
The first three proposed sites are:
Clocaenog Dau Wind Farm, Denbighshire/Conwy (up to 132 MW)
Glyn Cothi Wind Farm, Carmarthenshire (up to 162 MW)
Carreg Wen Wind Farm, Rhondda Cynon Taf (up to 108 MW)
All profits generated by Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru will be reinvested in Welsh communities and public services.
The wind farms will be developed on the Welsh Government’s woodland estate, which covers 126,000 hectares – 6% of Wales’ total land area – and contains some of the country’s best potential sites for renewable energy generation.
Cutting Wales’ carbon emissions is a key commitment of the Welsh Government, which aims for Wales to generate enough renewable electricity to meet 70% of what’s used in Wales by 2030, rising to 100% by 2035.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans said: “These proposals demonstrate our commitment to harnessing Wales’ abundant natural resources to generate clean energy while ensuring the benefits are felt locally.
“By developing these projects on the Welsh Government Woodland Estate, we’re making best use of our public land to tackle the climate emergency and create sustainable economic opportunities.”
It is estimated the developments will create hundreds of jobs during construction and operation, with Trydan committed to involving Welsh companies throughout the process.
More renewable energy projects are in development and will be announced later this year.
Unique opportunity
Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru’s Chief Executive, Richard Evans, said: “With Trydan driving development, and with the profits from this investment retained in Wales, we have a unique opportunity to optimise the projects and the multiple benefits they bring.
“In parts of Wales suitable for infrastructure installations, and across Wales, working with delivery partners, we will create and support quality, direct and indirect jobs in the renewable energy sector and supply chains, and contribute to skills initiatives. Communities will be involved and funding will support local priorities.”
“As a Wales-wide developer, we can commit to nation-wide, strategic programmes, such as habitat management and restoration, and we look forward to working with stakeholders to define ambitious, long-term enhancements.”
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Will locals get a ctax rebate?
Why?
Because they’re living next door to the windmills.
Did any residents ever get any rebates for living next to heavy industries? The Valleys used to be black with coal dust for god’s sake. Port Talbot has had one lowest life expectancies in Wales for decades (Valley counties are also make up the other lowest)
Perhaps they should’ve done but unlike these windmills those industries at least provided jobs for locals.
So, we live close by to a large private one. No one offered us any financial benefit.
That’s kinda my point. They’re extracting resources without giving anything back. Once publicly owned windmills are rebated on local ctax bills the same can be demanded of private ones.
Have they done this with publicly owned solar farms?
Trydan Gwyrdd has my vote.. it’s clearly a far more ethically focused company than other wind farm companies.. it’s a refreshing alternative to other cherry picking , outside Wales based pure profit making wind farm developers..
A typical wind turbine foundation requires between 600 and 1,000 tons of concrete, according to Lumify Energy and The Equation – Union of Concerned Scientists. This concrete is used to create a massive base that supports the weight of the turbine and withstands wind loads. For example, a 5 MW turbine might need an 80-foot diameter reinforced concrete foundation, requiring 850 to 900 cubic yards of concrete.
How much concrete does a nuclear reactor need then?
Exactly, those demanding perfect to avoid better are taking people for fools.
This is great news (albeit at least 20 years later than it should have happened). ‘Ministers had been inspired by similar state-backed firms such as Sweden’s Vattenfall, which owns Wales’ largest onshore windfarm – Pen-y-Cymoedd’ – it shows how risk averse the Welsh Government has been. We should have developed the Pen-y-Cymoedd site ourselves.