The Shadow Minister for Environment has called for further public engagement and government involvement to support community-led energy schemes.
The call follows a statement by the environment minister in which he highlighted ‘exciting developments’ and ‘24 different community renewable energy schemes across Wales’.
The issues of community-led energy generation and improved community benefits were examined in detail during the Environment and Sustainability’s inquiry into energy and planning policy in Wales, which was published last year.
The report concluded that community-based energy schemes are an essential element of energy policy in Wales and that the Welsh Government needs to make it easier to increase micro-generation schemes.
Shadow Minister for Environment and Montgomeryshire Assembly Member Russell George said:
"The idea of a successful community-led renewable energy sector in Wales remains pie-in-the-sky.
"24 current schemes is nowhere near the kind of achievement we need and far more public engagement is needed.
"Scepticism reigns and there are genuine concerns over awareness and government and developer involvement.
"Controversial windfarm plans have also discouraged communities from developing small-scale schemes and community benefits from developers are often seen as nothing more that corporate sweeteners.
"It’s crucial that the Minister rapidly increases engagement and makes support, expertise and finance far easier to secure."