Local Renewable Energy Grid Initiative

A project to help develop a community led renewable energy system has been funded by Arwain Sir Benfro.

Arwain Sir Benfro – the Local Action Group (LAG) for Pembrokeshire, administered by PLANED has provided funding of £14,950 to Transition Bro Gwaun to develop a business plan for the delivery of a community led, integrated renewable energy system.

This is funded through the LEADER programme, which is part of the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, Funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

The business plan will include deploying smart technology; storage solutions and hydrogen production; addressing issues including energy smoothing and grid constraints, in order to provide a sustainable and resilient local network.

The project will focus Fishguard and Goodwick towns and the surrounding area, drawing on existing and projected generating capacity of up to 3MW able to supply c3500 premises, domestic, agricultural and commercial.  It will save an estimated 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 per annum.

Arwain Sir Benfro is currently supporting project ideas from local community groups, organisations and businesses. As the Local Action Group for Pembrokeshire, we bring together a mix of local community representatives, business, third sector, local authority partners.

LEADER is supporting all kinds of activity: mentoring, training, feasibility studies or pilot projects that test an innovative new idea. It can also be used for projects that improve local skills, make better use of a local resource or realise the economic potential of part of the locality leading to a ‘new’ outcome or product.