Community ownership of energy projects
In a plenary debate on the Infrastructure (Wales) Bill, Delyth Jewell MS cited a recommendation issued through our project Re-energising Wales for new energy projects above 5MW to have between 5 and 33% of community ownership, noting:
‘We have opted for an amendment on regulation-making powers to specify a percentage of local or community ownership in subordinate legislation. This would, I hope, allow the Government to agree to the principle of the amendments without the risk that the specified percentage is something they cannot agree to.’
She also stressed the importance of defining the parameters of local ownership in a context where many large scale energy companies are owned in majority outside Wales, as outlined by our recent report Sharing Power, Spreading Wealth.
In the House of Lords, Earl Russell also raised the question of community ownership and benefits in a debate ’to ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for stronger consultation and co-operation with the Welsh Government on energy policy to manage overlapping responsibilities in that area’. Earl Russell contributed using the central argument of our report Sharing Power, Spreading Wealth:
‘My Lords, does the Minister agree with the Institute of Welsh Affairs that Wales should retain, and local communities gain, greater income from the renewable energy developments that they host?’
Syniadau uchelgeisiol, awdurdodol a mentrus.
Ymunwch â ni i gyfrannu at wneud Cymru gwell.