Energy giants should ‘cough up’ to communities over wind farms

As opposition mounts to mass windfarm plans that campaigners say will blight our landscape with turbines and pylons, one political party appears to be taking a different approach.

The Liberal Democrats say they want energy giants to give discounted bills for communities that will be impacted by the developments, with a decision on them to be taken by the Welsh Government, instead of Powys County Council.

Speaking at the Senedd, Mid and West Wales Member Jane Dodds, also the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said local communities should benefit from new grid developments, highlighting one scheme that is in place already.

She said the Octopus Energy Fan Club, which gives households living near wind turbines discounts on their bills when turbines are spinning, is a positive example of involving residents in renewable projects.

“One of the key challenges facing the transition to green energy is ensuring that the benefits are being felt by local communities,” said Ms Dodds.

“For far too long now, the profits from large renewable energy projects are drained out of the local area, whilst the electricity generated is fed into the national grid instead of directly benefiting nearby residents.

“However, there is a solution. Initiatives like Octopus Energy’s Fan Club, which offer discounted bills to households near wind turbines, and community-owned energy projects are the key to creating a grid network that works for everyone in Wales.”

Campaigners want to see any potential projects using underground cabling instead of pylons to transport the electricity generated from windfarms to the National Grid in Shropshire.