Today (20th March 2024) in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the Welsh Government to ensure that local communities are able to benefit from new grid developments.
The party has highlighted the work of initiatives like Octopus Energy’s Fan Club, which gives households living near wind turbines discounts on their bills when those turbines are spinning, as a positive example of involving residents in renewable projects.
Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:
“One of the key challenges facing the transition to green energy is ensuring that the benefits are being felt by local communities.
For far too long now the profits from large renewable energy projects are drained out of the local area, whilst the electricity generated is fed into the national grid instead of directly benefiting nearby residents.
However there is a solution to this problem.
Initiatives like Octopus Energy’s Fan Club, which offer discounted bills to households near wind turbines, and community-owned energy projects are the key to creating a grid network that works for everyone in Wales.”
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