Y Bryn wind farm planning application accepted

The wind farm, located on Welsh Government Woodland Estate northeast of Port Talbot, has been validated by Planning and Environment Decision Wales (PEDW), and will now be subject to examination over the coming months.

Y Bryn Wind Farm will include up to 18 turbines, which could deliver up to 130 MW of renewable energy generation, equivalent to the annual needs of 68% of households in Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend combined, whilst offsetting over 137 000 tpy of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Y Bryn Wind Farm will significantly contribute to the Welsh Government’s target to reach 100% of Welsh electricity consumption by renewable means by 2030 and the aspiration is to have at least 1.5 GW within community ownership. As the cheapest form of energy generation in the UK, wind power has been proven to provide a value for money answer to the renewable energy generation challenge.

The project has reached agreements to establish the ‘Awel y Bryn Co-op’, alongside local energy charity Awel Aman Tawe (AAT), and third-sector champions Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service (NPTCVS) and Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations (BAVO), which will enable and industry leading Community Benefit Fund and Shared Ownership schemes.

The project will deliver £8000/MW each year to the Community Benefit Fund, which could be in the region of £1 million per year for the lifetime of the project, and up to 20% of the project will be available for shared ownership.

“We are excited for the examination period to commence and pleased that we have been able to engage with so many stakeholders interested in the development. We believe this development will make significant contributions to meet Wales’ renewable energy targets,” said Trevor Hunter, Y Bryn Project Manager.

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Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/23042024/y-bryn-wind-farm-planning-application-accepted/