Ynni Cymru: New Welsh company to help get green energy off ground
- Published
A publicly-funded company is being set up to help develop community energy projects in Wales.
Ynni Cymru, part of the Welsh government's co-operation deal with Plaid Cymru, will be based on Anglesey.
But it is not clear if it will take a stake in the projects, with BBC Wales told its role was yet to be determined.
The Tories welcomed the plans but urged ministers to remove barriers to privately owned schemes.
The Welsh government said the company will be based at M-SParc and will help expand community-owned renewable energy generation.
So far £750,000 has been given out by the Welsh government in the form of Ynni Cymru grants to 11 projects.
The Welsh government's budget has earmarked £2.47m this year for the organisation, as well as £10m to spend on infrastructure. It is hoped up to nine energy experts will be recruited by the company.
The other projects include a solar scheme on community and business buildings in the Ogwen Valley; and Community Energy Wales's Tanygrisiau heat project.
Sian Gwenllian, the Plaid Cymru MS who works with the Welsh government on the co-operation deal, said there were three community owned projects in her constituency of Arfon.
"But we need more of them," she told Radio Wales Breakfast.
"Communities need that bit of a oomph if you like - coming from development officers, people who have got expertise in setting up community projects."
Sian Gwenllian says more community projects are needed
She said of the barriers for schemes at the moment is that projects produce energy for the grid - "the energy isn't used in that particular locality".
"That's one of example of one of the barriers that can start to be lifted".
She said "there will be grant money available". "As we develop there will be availability of funding," she said, adding: "We've got ongoing discussions now about future plans around the financing."
BBC Wales was told that the role - such as whether it would partly-own schemes itself - that Ynni Cymru will have in projects is yet to be determined and will depend on the nature of the projects and the role the company will have in supporting them.
'Rapid transformation'
In a statement, 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."
Welsh Conservative Shadow Climate Minister Janet Finch-Saunders said: "I welcome the investment in community-owned renewable energy generation in Wales, but both Labour and Plaid Cymru are ignoring the elephant in the room. There are hundreds of watercourses running through privately owned land in Wales.
"Here in Eryri I know of private individuals who want to invest in small hydro schemes but are being put off because of costs created by the Labour government.
"In fact, it was the Labour government who stripped farmers of business rate relief for hydro schemes on their land."
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