Welsh Government sets community energy target

1GW of renewable energy to be locally owned by 2030

The Welsh cabinet secretary for the environment has called for 1GW of renewable energy to be locally owned by 2030.

Lesley Griffiths made the commitment to members of the Welsh Assembly yesterday, as she also set a new target for Wales to generate 70 per cent of its electricity from renewables by the same date.

She added by 2020, she expects all new renewable energy projects to have “at least an element of local ownership”.

“I believe these are stretching, but realistic targets, which will help us to decarbonise our energy system, reduce long-term costs and deliver greater benefits to Wales,” said Griffiths.

She also called on the UK government to stop the “ideological exclusion” of onshore wind and solar from the Contracts for Difference (CfD) process.

“There is a need for the bulk of energy supply to come from the most affordable technologies, if the costs are to be found from energy bills,” added Griffiths.

“These technologies therefore need a route to market if we are to meet our ambitious targets and deliver the most benefit to Welsh bill payers.”

Speaking to Utility Week, the director of RenewableUK Cymru, David Clubb, said the cabinet secretary’s speech was “very helpful” as it reconfirmed the Welsh Government’s policy, which is “to support the sector and to continue to lobby Westminster for CfD pot one”.

“Some of our members are getting much more active on the development side now, regardless of CfDs,” added Clubb. “A lot of them are following up zero-subsidy projects or developing the most cost effective ones with a view to jumping in to a very low CfD, if and when that moment comes.”

Regarding the commitment around community energy, Clubb said “as always the devil will be in the detail as to what constitutes genuine community ownership”, but he thought members would be “fairly relaxed” about the idea, as it will create a level-playing field for all renewable energy projects in Wales.