The Welsh government has today announced a new £10m capital grant scheme to support the development of Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) across the country.
The initiative is a key part of delivering Wales’s goal of generating 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035 while empowering communities to take control of their energy futures, it said.
The grant scheme is open to community energy organisations, social enterprises, public sector bodies, and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Applicants are encouraged to develop innovative projects that integrate local energy generation, storage, and infrastructure, making energy systems more efficient and delivering tangible local benefits, including lower energy costs.
The Cabinet Secretary for the Economy and Energy Ken Skates (pictured) said: “This £10m grant scheme is pivotal in our efforts to decarbonise Wales’s energy supply and ensure the benefits of this transition are felt within our communities.
“With energy costs contributing to the current cost of living crisis, these projects can reduce the need for large scale energy infrastructure and develop a more resilient local energy system.”
Through deploying SLES projects across Wales, the Welsh government will gain invaluable insights into the scale of benefits that can be secured for communities. This learning will help Ynni Cymru refine and expand these systems to maximise their impact across the nation.
Skates added: “I strongly encourage interested parties to seize this opportunity and apply for the funding. Together, we can lead the way to a greener, fairer Wales.”
Established by Welsh government in 2023, the Ynni Cymru programme’s aim is to ensure that energy generation benefits are retained locally, promoting community ownership of integrated renewable energy assets as a central strategy in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
For more information on how to apply, go to https://www.gov.wales/ynni-cymru-capital-grant-funding-programme-2024-2025