Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change
It has now been almost two-and-a-half years since we concluded our Renewable Energy Deep Dive, which identified 21 recommendations aimed at removing the barriers and increasing the opportunities for renewable energy generation in Wales.
Our first biannual update on the renewable energy deep dive, concentrated on actions up to September 2022, and demonstrated the progress that we have made against each of the recommendations and the strides we have taken to promote renewable energy generation in Wales.
Our second update followed in April 2023, and I am pleased to publish our third and final update. This report underlines some of the more significant activity against the recommendations between April 2023 and March 2024, and some of the key milestones which will help us complete those recommendations.
The report demonstrates our efforts to transition our energy system from a reliance on fossil fuels to a strong, long-term, and sustainable renewables sector that retains the wealth in Wales for our communities.
Our work on local area energy planning, to feed into a National Energy Plan, and our Future Grids work, are aimed at mapping the infrastructure that we’ll need to understand and realise our energy needs and commitments.
Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru will be launched in April this year and work continues on the development of Ynni Cymru. We will continue our discussions with OFGEM, especially as Wales is leading the way in terms of the local systems thinking. Significant work is taking place in terms of procurement across the public sector incorporating social value and we will continue to input into those discussions.
The Marine Energy Programme continues to support ports and Freeports will also provide them with new opportunities. Work on skills and supply chains will continue as well as capitalising on specific benefits as projects commence.
We will continue to ensure the consenting and licensing regime provides a sustainable and proportionate approach. Discussion will continue to influence the changes following the Energy and Levelling Up and Regeneration Acts. Our work to support the community energy sector helps ensure that all Welsh communities, but especially those that host renewable developments, benefit from our move to Net Zero.
Work from our Investment into Renewables subgroup has previously helped identify financial levers that we can start to use to further incentivise the roll out of renewable developments across multiple sectors. However, to achieve our ambitions and targets we recognise that there is more to be done and that important policy drivers, such as local energy plans will help to set the challenges for regulatory and funding regimes.
This is intended to be our closing update on the Deep Dive Recommendations, and I would like to thank the members of the Renewable Energy Deep Dive Steering Group for their contributions to the work.
Following the publication of this last report we will shortly be publishing our response to the Preparing Wales for a Renewable Energy 2050 issued by the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales.