Welsh Assembly Government Ynni’r Fro Renewable Energy at Community Scale Programme

Technical Development Officers

A network of locally-based technical development officers is in place across Wales to help groups develop their projects and access the Ynni’r Fro funding streams. Please click here [DO map] for details of your local technical development officer.

Preparatory stage grants

Grant funding is available towards feasibility studies and other preparatory costs. Up to £30,000 is available to fund early stage activities without which the projects would not be able to go ahead, such as environmental surveys, planning applications and community engagement activity.

Capital grants

A grant of up to £300,000 is available towards the capital costs of a renewable energy project.

Why ‘Community Scale Renewable Energy’?

Community scale renewable energy can mean lower costs per kilowatt installed and can give the opportunity to deliver cheaper energy and greater emissions reductions. Acting as a community brings additional benefits to its members through direct benefits from any surplus from the sale of the energy generated and by building a sense of collective action and purpose within the community.

Who can apply?

Grants are available to any legally constituted community based Social Enterprise located in Wales. A social enterprise can be, but is not limited to:

• Community Interest Company
• Industrial and Provident Society
• Company limited by guarantee or shares
• Limited liability partnership
• Registered charity

but must in all cases fall within the following definition used by the Energy Saving Trust for the purposes of the Ynni’r Fro scheme:-

"an organisation that, in the reasonable opinion of the Energy Saving Trust, is engaged in the carrying on of a business with primarily social purposes (other than the provision of schooling or social housing), meaning that it is involved in some form of trading, but that it trades primarily to support a social purpose (other than schooling or social housing) and seeks to reinvest any surpluses principally in the business or in the community to enable it to deliver on its social objectives"

• Projects must be based in Wales and generate energy from a renewable source
• Projects should be able to employ at least 1 part time employee within the first 2 years of completion
• Hydro schemes should expect to generate at least 240,000kWh per annum, raising a minimum gross income of £30,000
• Wind schemes should expect to generate at least 800,000kWh per annum, raising a minimum gross income of £70,000
• Biomass projects will be supported but wood based biomass projects will be handed over to the Forestry Commission Wood Energy Biomass Scheme for capital funding towards installations
• Schools and registered social landlords are not eligible to receive Ynni’r Fro funding

How to apply?

You must complete an expression of interest form to enter the programme. If you wish to discuss your project then please contact your local development officer or the Energy Saving Trust project team.