Giving evidence at the Welsh Affairs Committee's Renewable Energy in Wales inquiry

Frank Elsworth, Vattenfall’s UK Development Director for Onshore Wind raised the following points:

"Wales is open for all technologies and there is certainly no shortage of wind resource in Wales. In terms of barriers, grid is a well understood one. Planning consent is another, but we all know that there are net zero targets to be met and preferred areas of development in place.
 
"We need to create the opportunity in the first instance and this is where the UK and Welsh Governments can align to play their part. As well as a grid connection we need to have land available, planning consents and a route to market. This allows developers to make an investment decision and those investment decisions are the order books for the supply chain.
 
"Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm is the perfect example of how renewable energy projects have benefitted Wales. This £400m investment with just over half spent in Wales, supported 600 jobs in construction with 90% within 35 miles of the scheme, a number of apprentices and a Community Fund of £1.8m per year for the life of the project.
 
"The route to market is key. The Climate Change Committee has identified that £50 billion per annum by 2030 will be needed for us to be on target for reaching net zero by 2050."

Find the full session recording here.