RHIWLAS GREEN ENERGY NETWORK

Connecting renewable energy to homes and businesses to address the climate emergency

The climate emergency is a threat to our planet and our communities. As a result, the Welsh and UK governments have set legally binding targets to reach net zero (the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emitted, versus the amount removed from the atmosphere) by 2050, encouraging people to act now, to ensure the future is protected.

For Wales to meet Welsh Government’s target of 100 per cent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2035, we will need to move quickly to bring forward new renewable energy projects and supporting infrastructure, to ensure a more sustainable, improved and secure energy grid.

In Mid Wales, however, the existing electricity network does not have the capacity to connect new renewables to homes and businesses. To end the use of fossil fuels and address the climate emergency, we need new infrastructure - and quickly.

Green Generation Energy Networks Cymru (Green GEN Cymru) is therefore proposing an overhead line connecting from Bute Energy’s Banc Du and Rhiwlas Energy Parks to a collector substation site in the Powys uplands, near Cefn Coch, as well as a new underground cable connection between the two proposed Energy Parks. These connections form the Rhiwlas Green Energy Network (Rhiwlas GEN) project.

We are proposing that the overhead line is made on wooden poles. We feel that poles will blend sympathetically into the local landscape and minimise the visual impact on local people and communities.

We know people have different views on new infrastructure; we want to work collaboratively with local communities and listen to these views. We’re committed to developing our project sensitively, with regard to consultation feedback, alongside the results of environmental and technical assessments.

Our first non-statutory consultation on the Rhiwlas GEN proposals has now closed. The information shown during this consultation can still be found here.

Powering a positive energy

We want to make sure Wales has the energy it needs in a Net Zero world.

Wales has the potential to be at the forefront of the green industrial revolution. There is limitless potential for renewable energy generation in Wales – particularly the wind that blows across our hills and mountains. However, green energy is currently restricted to the windy areas of Wales: we need to be able to move this to the homes, hospitals, schools, industries, businesses and communities which need it.

To meet this challenge, we are developing a stronger, more resilient and interconnected renewable electricity network, which is needed to distribute clean, green energy from where it is generated, to where it is needed.

We want to build a positive, clean future for everyone. Without the right infrastructure, delivering Wales' Net Zero future will simply not be possible.