Wales' largest community-owned wind energy project, Awel Aman Tawe, has been awarded £45,000 funding through the Welsh Government's Energy Service to help the group's new social enterprise, Egni Solar Coop, install solar panels on up to 250 buildings across Wales.

These include businesses, community centres and schools, sports clubs and leisure centres.

Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, announced the funding on her visit to the windfarm.


The minister met school children from Ysgol y Bedol and Canolfan y Gors who were learning about renewable energy and co-operatives from people involved in the Awel Aman Tawe project.

All sites will receive payments for the electricity they generate, potentially saving them over £8 million over 30 years. During their lifetime, it is estimated the solar panels will save approximately 35,000 tonnes CO2.

Egni Solar Coop has also developed solar panels for the roofs of Ysgol y Bedol and Canolfan y Gors. The solar energy generated by the panels provides electricity for the schools and is another great example of clean energy being used to benefit the community.

Minister Griffiths said: "Community led schemes are well placed to understand their local areas and bring people together with a common purpose. Awel Aman Tawe is a great example of a renewable project benefiting the whole community and I'm sure Egni Co-op's rooftop project will be equally successful."