Communities in Wales are set to receive financial support to build and control their own clean energy projects. Great British Energy is rolling out the first wave of what is described as the biggest public community energy investment in UK history, with £30 million in funding launched on 17 September.
This initial funding is part of a larger commitment of up to £1 billion, announced earlier this year, intended to support over 1000 local and community-led clean energy projects across the UK. The aim is to help cut bills, grow local wealth, and address climate change.
The new funding will enable community energy groups to advance plans for locally owned clean power projects, which could include solar panels on buildings, village-owned wind farms, and hydro schemes. These projects are intended to be owned by community energy groups, allowing benefits such as reduced bills for local services and profits from clean power to be reinvested in towns and villages.
Further details are expected this Autumn on plans to offer community energy groups an ownership stake in renewable energy projects. This initiative aims to create partnerships between communities and developers, ensuring proceeds from clean power benefit local areas, mirroring approaches in countries like Germany and Denmark.