PEMBROKESHIRE could benefit from lower bills, new jobs and fresh investment after the UK Government confirmed the largest ever round of clean energy contracts for solar, wind and tidal power.

The latest renewables auction, run through the government’s Contracts for Difference scheme, has secured 14.7 gigawatts of new electricity generation across Britain – enough to power the equivalent of sixteen million homes.

Ministers say the new projects will help cut household energy costs, reduce reliance on imported gas and speed up the shift to “homegrown” power.

Record solar and wind

The auction delivered the biggest ever procurement of solar farms in the UK, with 4.9GW agreed, alongside major onshore wind developments and new tidal stream schemes.

New onshore wind has been agreed at £72.24 per megawatt hour and solar at £65.23 per megawatt hour – both less than half the reported £147 cost of building and running new gas power stations.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said clean power was now the cheapest option for Britain.

He said: “By backing solar and onshore wind at scale, we’re driving bills down for good and protecting families, businesses and our country from fossil fuel price shocks.”

What it means for Pembrokeshire

While none of the named schemes are in Pembrokeshire yet, the announcement is likely to have local implications.

West Wales already plays a key role in the UK’s energy network, with the Port of Milford Haven handling major fuel imports and energy infrastructure, and growing interest in marine renewables in the Celtic Sea.

Industry figures say the move could:

• attract investment into floating offshore wind and tidal energy off the Pembrokeshire coast
• create supply-chain work through local ports and engineering firms
• open the door to community-owned solar or wind schemes
• help stabilise electricity prices for households and small businesses

The government recently outlined plans for community energy funding through Great British Energy, which aims to help towns and villages own and control their own renewable projects.

That could allow local groups or councils in Pembrokeshire to develop small-scale solar or wind schemes, keeping profits within the community.

Jobs and investment

Across the UK, the projects are expected to unlock around £5 billion of private investment and support up to ten thousand jobs during construction and operation.

Energy system officials say expanding domestic renewables will also protect families from the sharp gas price spikes that drove recent bill increases.

Low Carbon Contracts Company, which manages the auction process, said the results would provide “renewable electricity generation at scale” while giving investors long-term certainty.

Clean power push

The latest round follows a record offshore wind auction earlier this year and forms part of the government’s target to deliver largely clean electricity by 2030.

For Pembrokeshire – long associated with oil and gas – the shift signals a growing role in Britain’s next energy chapter.

With strong winds, open sea and established port infrastructure, the county is widely seen as one of the best-placed areas in Wales to benefit from the renewables boom.

If projects come forward locally, residents could soon see more turbines offshore, more solar panels inland – and, ministers hope, smaller bills landing on the doormat.

COMMUNITIES across Wales are being promised a stake in what ministers describe as the largest public investment in locally owned energy projects in British history, with up to £1 billion earmarked for solar panels, battery storage and small-scale renewable schemes.

The funding, announced this week by Great British Energy and the UK Government, forms part of a new “Local Power Plan” aimed at helping councils, schools, clubs and community groups generate and sell their own electricity.

Ministers say the approach will cut bills, create income streams and keep profits local rather than flowing to major energy companies.

However, while the headline figure is eye-catching, details about how much money will reach Wales — and how quickly — remain limited.

Welsh projects already backed

The government says nearly £9.5 million has already been allocated to projects in Wales over the past year, delivered with the Welsh Government.

Examples include rooftop solar on schools in Wrexham and Newport, and a new installation at Big Pit National Coal Museum in Pontypool, which is estimated to save more than £280,000 in energy costs over its lifetime.

A further scheme at a highways depot in Neath is projected to save the local authority around £910,000.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the plan would “transfer wealth and power back to communities”, while Wales Secretary Jo Stevens described it as a way for towns and villages to “take charge of their own energy supplies”.

Big ambition — but funding spread thin

Despite the rhetoric, the £1bn pot is UK-wide and expected to support more than 1,000 projects across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

If split evenly, that would average around £1m per scheme — though ministers say grants and loans will vary and some funding will be reserved for advice and capability building rather than construction.

Community energy groups have long argued that red tape, grid connections and upfront costs are bigger barriers than ambition.

There are also questions over whether smaller volunteer-led organisations will have the technical expertise to compete for funds against better-resourced councils and developers.

Industry bodies broadly welcomed the move but stopped short of calling it transformational without clearer timelines.

What it could mean locally

If delivered effectively, the model could allow:

• village halls and sports clubs to reduce running costs
• schools to generate income from spare electricity
• councils to cut energy bills on public buildings
• residents to buy shares in local renewables

Supporters say that keeps money circulating in the local economy rather than leaving the area.

The announcement follows other energy developments affecting Wales, including backing for offshore wind in the Celtic Sea such as the Erebus Floating Offshore Wind Farm off Pembrokeshire.

Waiting for the detail

For now, communities are being invited to register interest via Great British Energy, with grant schemes expected to launch later this year.

Whether the plan proves to be a genuine shift in ownership or simply another competitive funding round will depend on how accessible the money is — and how much of it ultimately reaches places like Pembrokeshire rather than being absorbed at national level.

Local groups considering bids will be watching closely.

A COMMUNITY donation will help spruce up a popular summer book trailer at Stackpole Quay after members of the Pembrokeshire National Trust Association handed over more than one thousand pounds to support the project.

The Pembrokeshire National Trust Association presented a cheque for £1,095 to the National Trust at Stackpole Quay this weekend.

The cheque was formally given to Rhian Sula, General Manager for the charity’s Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen Bay portfolio, by association chairman Jane Mason during a National Trust information coffee morning at the Stackpole Centre.

The money will be used to refurbish the well-known second-hand book trailer which operates at the quay during the summer months. The trailer allows visitors to pick up a holiday read while making a donation, with proceeds supporting local conservation and access projects.

Last year alone, the trailer raised more than £1,500.

Jane Mason said the association had originally funded the purchase of the trailer several years ago and wanted to build on its success.

“Our new donation from members’ support will improve the trailer with updated imagery and design,” she said. “This will help the National Trust present a more professional, welcoming and brand-aligned offer, and potentially grow donation income.”

The Pembrokeshire National Trust Association runs a programme of talks, visits and guided walks in support of local Trust properties. Membership of the National Trust is not required to join the association. Annual membership costs £5 for individuals and £8 for couples.

At its AGM in November, the group announced £3,000 in additional donations for local projects, including replacement willow hurdles at Tudor Merchants House, footpath improvements at Little Milford, and a new bench, tree planting and path works at Southwood.

With the latest contribution towards the book trailer, the association’s donations for the current financial year now exceed £4,000.

Photo caption:

Jane Mason presents a cheque for £1,095 to Rhian Sula at Stackpole Centre (Pic: supplied).