SWANSEA BAY’S QUIETER ENERGY REVOLUTION
Whilst everyone waits with bated breath for news about the Tidal Lagoon…
Four fantastic locally owned renewable energy projects have achieved a resounding success. They are entirely community owned, will reinvest 100% of their profits into the local area and two of which still have community shares available for you to invest in. We are proud to have played a key role in making two of them happen.
Gower Regeneration, Wales’ first community owned solar farm, has just been shortlisted for National Community Energy Awards. The community share offer has raised over £760k so far. The £1.085m Offer closes on November 8th.
Awel Co-op, the largest community owned wind farm in Wales, winner of last years National Community Energy Awards, this year nominated for two Renew Wales Awards has raised an impressive £2.5m so far. It is looking to raise £3m by 31st October.
Swansea Community Energy & Enterprise Scheme (SCEES) whose share offer was over-subscribed, also just nominated for a Renew Wales Award and a Renewable Cymru Green Energy Award, provides clean electricity for 9 schools and a care home and is one of the first community energy projects in Wales initiated by a County Council.
Egni Co-op, Wales’ first solar co-operative, has solar panels on seven community buildings in the Swansea Bay area and will be launching a new Share Offer in November.
All four of these pioneering projects received support from Welsh Government through their Local Energy service to help get them off the ground, and now Swansea Bay is quietly leading a revolution in renewable energy ownership for community groups nationwide to follow. Paul Smith, Programme Manager from the Energy Saving Trust, said in support,
“We are delighted that Swansea Bay renewable energy schemes have been recognised by the national award nominations and wish them every success. They are examples of best practice – successful schemes with local support investing in their local communities – and illustrate the strength of renewable energy schemes in Wales”
By the end of this week we will find out whether Swansea Bay community energy projects can bring national awards to the area for successive years. Surely this quieter energy revolution will help the UK government smell the coffee and realise that renewable energy is the future that communities want to be part of… and that Swansea Bay is just the place for showcasing pioneering projects for the world to see.
