£9m funding will cover solar panels on schools and public buildings, and support projects in areas such as solar canopies and battery storage
The Welsh government has announced £9m in funding from Great British Energy, the UK government’s publicly owned energy company, to support green energy projects across Wales.
Photo by Markus Spiske / UnsplashSome £4m of the money will be used to develop solar photovoltaic arrays on Welsh schools and connected to public buildings. The first four schools to benefit are Coleg Cambria in Wrexham, Porthcawl Comprehensive School, and Glan Llyn Primary School and Jubilee Park Primary School in Newport. Further schools taking part will be announced in due course.
The remaining money will go into renewable investment schemes including the new Ymestyn, which will launch in the next few weeks.
Full details about Ymestyn will be available then, but the aim is to provide extra gap funding to enhance the decarbonisation of the public sector and communities. The Welsh government cites examples such as solar canopies and renewable-integrated battery energy storage as the kinds of ambitious projects they would like to see helped through Ymestyn.
The Welsh government will oversee the delivery of this funding across the country, working in partnership with the UK government and Great British Energy.
Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, says: ‘We are driving towards a net zero public sector by 2030, and this funding will help us get even closer. Thanks to this funding, organisations across Wales will see their energy bills falling in a matter of months. I’m looking forward to the start of the Ymestyn scheme, which will make some exciting decarbonisation projects a reality as we continue to tackle the climate emergency.’
Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Energy, adds: ‘These solar panel and renewable energy projects will make a huge difference to these organisations by lowering their bills and making their infrastructure fit for the future. This Great British Energy funding demonstrates the UK and Welsh Governments shared priorities in tackling climate change and ensuring our communities benefit from the transition to net zero. The funding will support our shared aspiration of clean, secure, home-grown energy and consolidate existing Welsh Government investment in local and community energy in Wales.’
Michael Shanks MP, Minister for Energy in the UK government, says: ‘Great British Energy is empowering communities in Wales to take a stake in their own energy. This is our clean energy superpower mission in action – putting communities in the driving seat of energy generation and making sure working people and local businesses profit.’
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