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Renewable Power Pembrokeshire:
East Williamston Construction of a 900kw Turbine in East Williamston completed in March. The turbine site at Prouts Park Farm, East Williamston, was identified through a screening process funded by Planed in 2009. The landowner agreed a concessionary rate of rent for a community turbine, and since then considerable technical work has been undertaken by Seren Energy Limited, partly funded by Seren and partly by the Welsh Government's Ynni'r Fro, Ynni Lleol and Welsh Government Energy Service Programmes. EAST WILLIAMSTON 900KW TURBINE What will it produce?
What do Community Energy in Pembrokeshire (CEP) get from the project?
The community benefit will be funds available as:
to support the following in the county:
Read Community Energy Wales' Support Letter here |
With thanks for support from Welsh Government Energy Service
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"I have been pleased to have chaired this process since 2016, especially having been Commissioner for Sustainable Futures working to promote renewable energy across Wales. It has been a great learning experience. The project history demonstrates the importance of community leadership; the role of community development organisations; the essential specialist support & grant aid provided through Welsh Government; the legal advice from Capital Law; bridging loans from Robert Owen Community Banking ; the collaboration with landowners; the partnership with private companies like EWT, Windcare & Western Power Distribution and of course the financing through the Development Bank of Wales.
There are a lot of lessons through this process. It has taken far too long. It is a case study in how Welsh Government ambition struggled to be achieved, squeezed between its lack of control on UK energy policy and the interpretation of its policy by local government. The delay caused by the initial planning rejection and subsequent changes in UK govt policy is estimated to have lost Pembrokeshire in the region of £2million over the 20 years of the project. It transformed the final stage of the project into being a high risk exercise entirely dependent being volunteer directors commitment to deliver a community owned renewable energy project.
It is important to acknowledge that the project has been led by volunteer directors from its origins in 2006 to completion of construction in 2020. The baton had to be passed on with ill health and project fatigue taking its toll on volunteers through this period. I particularly want to thank the CEP/RPP volunteer directors who I worked with to see the project through the challenging final stage and on their behalf a final thanks to the great support received from Welsh Government’s Energy Service"
Peter Davies,
Chair
Community Energy Pembrokeshire & Renewable Power Pembrokeshire
"I have been pleased to have chaired this process since 2016, especially having been Commissioner for Sustainable Futures working to promote renewable energy across Wales. It has been a great learning experience. The project history demonstrates the importance of community leadership; the role of community development organisations; the essential specialist support & grant aid provided through Welsh Government; the legal advice from Capital Law; bridging loans from Robert Owen Community Banking ; the collaboration with landowners; the partnership with private companies like EWT, Windcare & Western Power Distribution and of course the financing through the Development Bank of Wales.
There are a lot of lessons through this process. It has taken far too long. It is a case study in how Welsh Government ambition struggled to be achieved, squeezed between its lack of control on UK energy policy and the interpretation of its policy by local government. The delay caused by the initial planning rejection and subsequent changes in UK govt policy is estimated to have lost Pembrokeshire in the region of £2million over the 20 years of the project. It transformed the final stage of the project into being a high risk exercise entirely dependent being volunteer directors commitment to deliver a community owned renewable energy project.
It is important to acknowledge that the project has been led by volunteer directors from its origins in 2006 to completion of construction in 2020. The baton had to be passed on with ill health and project fatigue taking its toll on volunteers through this period. I particularly want to thank the CEP/RPP volunteer directors who I worked with to see the project through the challenging final stage and on their behalf a final thanks to the great support received from Welsh Government’s Energy Service"
Peter Davies,
Chair
Community Energy Pembrokeshire & Renewable Power Pembrokeshire