![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Plaid-Cymru-leader-Rhun-ap-Iorwerth.jpg\")
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth \u2013 Image: Rob Norman\/ HayMan Media<\/p>\n Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth \u2013 Image: Rob Norman\/ HayMan Media<\/p>\n
Stephen Price<\/p>\n
A Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Government would ensure Welsh communities benefit from the nation\u2019s energy projects, according to the party\u2019s Leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth.<\/p>\n
In a speech at an event set to be hosted by Ynni Cymunedol Cymru at Partneriaeth Ogwen in Bethesda, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth intends to outline his party\u2019s vision for the future of the energy landscape in Wales.<\/p>\n
Rhun ap Iorwerth MS will also state his party\u2019s \u2018unequivocal\u2019 support for renewable energy and ambition to see communities \u2018the length and breadth of Wales\u2019 harness the power and potential of renewables, whilst also making it clear that the wellbeing of communities must be at the heart of the Welsh Government\u2019s energy strategy.<\/p>\n
In his speech, the Plaid Cymru Leader will announce several steps a Plaid Cymru Government would take to ensure communities in Wales benefit from energy projects in their communities, steps that are designed to \u201csupport a just, green transition that ultimately sees communities take more of their economic future into their own hands\u201d.<\/p>\n
Rhun ap Iorwerth will announce Plaid Cymru\u2019s intention to require a minimum community-ownership stake of between 15 and 25% for all energy projects over 10 MW, or equivalent means of capturing community benefits, while also increasing the number of communities who have the capacity and ability to buy in to projects at scale.<\/p>\n
The party also intends to establish a national energy body for Wales that would be responsible for developing large-scale projects, embedding meaningful community ownership, and supporting smaller-scale community energy initiatives.<\/p>\n
Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, is expected to say: \u201cPlaid Cymru supports renewable energy unequivocally just as we believe that the wellbeing of communities has to be at the heart of the Welsh Government\u2019s energy strategy.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike the climate change deniers in Reform, we know that the transition to Net Zero and to greater energy self-sufficiency in an era of increased global insecurity is not optional.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur super-abundance of wind, water and waves means that Wales has the potential to be a green energy powerhouse. Done right, the green energy transition comes with major social and economic opportunities. I am clear that Welsh communities can and must benefit fully from Welsh renewables. And that includes a fair share of the profits.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does this mean in practice? It means building the infrastructure we need in a way that minimises and works to offset the impact on those who live closest to it. Above all, it means greater local and community ownership of energy produced in Wales.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, we think that increasing communities\u2019 share in the ownership of Welsh renewables is the best way of securing a higher level of reinvestment in those communities in the longer term. A Plaid Cymru government will require a minimum community-ownership stake of between 15 and 25% for all energy projects over 10 MW, or corresponding means of capturing community benefits as a key condition for consent.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe propose a single national energy body for Wales responsible for developing large-scale projects, embedding meaningful community ownership, and supporting smaller-scale community energy initiatives \u2013 all framed by the clear remit of retaining more of the value of Welsh renewables in Wales and helping to reduce energy bills over the medium to long term.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I have the privilege of becoming Wales\u2019s First Minister following the election in May, we\u2019ll do more to support a just, green transition that ultimately sees communities take more of their economic future into their own hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cMassive con\u201d<\/p>\n
In contrast with Plaid Cymru, Leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage has said it is \u201cirrelevant\u201d whether he thought climate change was real.<\/p>\n
He has argued anything the UK did would be dwarfed by the scale of carbon emissions in other countries, such as China and India.<\/p>\n
Reform UK has put forward plans to impose taxes on the renewable energy sector, under its plans to scrap the UK\u2019s net zero target, the party\u2019s deputy leader Richard Tice has said.<\/p>\n
The Boston and Skegness MP has argued that net-zero policies were to blame for higher energy bills and deindustrialisation in the UK, labelling renewable energy a \u201cmassive con\u201d.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a recent news conference, he shared: \u00a0\u201cThe British people are being ripped off by the renewables industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe British people need to know there is a direct link between the cost of all these subsidies to the vested interests in the renewables industry and your bills.\u201d<\/p>\n
Support our Nation today<\/p>\n
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an
\n independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by
\n the people of Wales.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth \u2013 Image: Rob Norman\/ HayMan Media Stephen Price A Plaid Cymru-led Welsh…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":444149,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[1397,90,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-444148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-environment","tag-science","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444148"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444148\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/444149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}