Renewable Energy Deep Dive: terms of reference

The purpose of the exercise is to identify barriers to significantly scaling up renewable energy in Wales and identifying steps to overcome the barriers. We will look at short, medium and long term steps, and in doing so we will have a particular focus on retaining wealth and ownership in Wales.

The deep dive will:

• Consider the scale of investment in renewable energy generation needed to meet Wales’ statutory duties. 
• Identify the scope for community ownership within private sector renewable generation projects and the wider role for communities to work in partnership with developers in Wales. 
• Consider how to increase the benefit to Wales from commercially owned developments, where ownership is not being pursued. 
• Consider the scale of opportunity for public and community led renewable energy generation in Wales.
• Consider how to support the growth/development of public and community owned renewable energy generation in Wales
• Challenge the status quo for delivery in Wales and set out priority actions to support greater renewable energy generation by public bodies and community groups in Wales.

The deep dive will involve a small core group of critical thinkers led by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, from both within the sector and outside to provide input and challenge. Meetings will be chaired by the Deputy Minister, with secretariat provided by Welsh Government. Members have been chosen on the basis of their individual expertise and experience; as such attendance is not to be delegated without agreement of the Deputy Minister.

Dr Jenifer Baxter:    Protium Green Solutions
Pete Capener:    Bath and West Community Energy
Dr Mike Colechin:     Cultivate Innovation and Member of the Flexis Advisory Board
Dr Jeffrey Hardy:    Imperial College London
Andrew Jeffreys:    Director Welsh Treasury, Welsh Government
Sarah Jennings:    Natural Resources Wales
Anthony Kyriakides:    Energy Saving Trust
Hywel Lloyd:    Institute of Welsh Affairs
Dan McCallum:    Awel coop
Sarah Merrick:    Ripple Energy
Guy Newey:    Energy Systems Catapult
Robert Procter:     Community Energy Wales
Dr Nina Skorupska:    Renewable Energy Association
Beth Warnock:    Energy Systems Catapult
Dr Chris Williams:    South Wales Industrial Cluster and Tata Steel
Dr Mike Jenkins:    Local Government
Rhys Wyn Jones:    Renewables UK Cymru

The group will be supported by focussed group discussions where necessary covering specific topics where the group feel additional expertise and opinion would add value. The scope of these focussed group discussions will be shaped by the initial meetings of the deep dive group. 

The exercise will begin in October with meetings taking place at regular intervals (no more than two per week) before Senedd Christmas recess. The outcomes of the review will be announced in a Ministerial Statement ahead of Christmas recess. 

The group may meet occasionally following this statement if actions are identified which require longer-term work.

Discussions in the group will take place on a Chatham House basis and there will be no communications about the final outcome of discussions unless first agreed with Welsh Government. 

Welsh Government will publish these Terms of Reference and circulate notes of meetings to the group.