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Plaid Cymru Proposes Community Ownership Requirement for Large Renewable Projects

lite News Desk 2 min read

At a glance

  • Plaid Cymru has outlined a new policy proposal for renewable energy
  • Developers of projects over 10 MW would need to offer local ownership
  • Communities could receive a 15–25% stake or equivalent benefit

Plaid Cymru has introduced a policy proposal focused on increasing community involvement in large-scale renewable energy developments in Wales. The proposal sets out requirements for developers seeking planning consent for projects above a certain size.

According to the proposal, any renewable energy project with a capacity greater than 10 megawatts would be subject to new conditions. Developers would be required to provide local communities with a minimum ownership stake or an alternative benefit mechanism.

The proposed ownership stake for communities ranges from 15% to 25%. If developers do not offer a direct stake, they would need to provide an equivalent benefit mechanism as part of the planning process.

This approach would apply as a condition for planning consent, meaning developers would need to comply before receiving approval to proceed with projects above the specified size threshold.

What the numbers show

  • Policy applies to renewable energy projects exceeding 10 MW
  • Local communities would receive a 15–25% minimum ownership stake
  • Equivalent benefit mechanisms may be offered instead of direct ownership

Plaid Cymru’s proposal is aimed at ensuring that the economic advantages of renewable energy developments are shared with local communities. The policy outlines clear thresholds and benefit options for developers to meet these requirements.

The proposal does not specify the exact form of equivalent benefit mechanisms, but indicates that they must be comparable in value to the ownership stake. This flexibility allows developers to choose between direct community ownership or alternative arrangements.

Planning authorities would be responsible for enforcing these conditions as part of the consent process. The policy is designed to apply only to projects above the 10 MW capacity threshold, focusing on larger developments.

At the time of the statement, Plaid Cymru had set out these proposals as part of its broader approach to community involvement in energy projects. The policy details were published in media reports and reflect the party’s stated position on renewable energy development in Wales.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.

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