News

Onshore wind industry contributes over £799m

Published

11 years ago

May 14, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Renewable energy generation: Carno Wind Farm (Pic: Oliver Dixon)

WALES gains over £799 million of economic benefit from its local onshore wind industry, according to new figures released by RenewableUK. Of that, benefits to the value of £33 million go directly into the local community as a result of installed onshore wind capacity in the area.

Wales has an excellent natural resource and 559 megawatts (MW) of installed onshore wind. The region will receive a substantial £799 million in economic benefit from the installed onshore wind farms over their lifetime. This represents environmental benefits of 541,992 tonnes of CO2 reduced per year due to onshore wind installed in Wales alone.

Mid Wales has the highest installed onshore wind capacity in Wales, at just under 300MW. The next highest area is South Wales with 176MW of onshore wind capacity installed.

There are a number of firms active in the area ranging from independent onshore developers to component manufacturers and companies providing steels for wind turbines, including West Coast Energy, Jones Brothers, Prysmian and Dulas Ltd.

The figures form part of a report, undertaken by BiGGAR Economics for RenewableUK, which shows that the economic benefits of developing onshore wind are strongly felt across the UK, with the onshore wind industry generating a total £906 million in gross value added (GVA) revenue to the UK economy in 2014 alone. Since the beginning of 2012, GVA has risen by £358 million (up 65%) – revealing the increasing contribution that the onshore wind industry and its supply chain makes to the UK economy.

The largest percentage of local spend comes at the operations and maintenance stage with 42% of the value of contracts (compared to 29% in 2011) being spent in the local area. On a wider level, almost half of the total spend is retained in the region in which a wind farm is located (48%), with this highest at the development stage (59%) and operation and maintenance (58%).

For businesses, investors and other regional stakeholders looking to find out more about the economic impact onshore wind has in their area, RenewableUK has created factsheets outlining the findings for each region: http://www.renewableuk.com/en/ publications/index.cfm.

Dale Hart, Managing Director of Welsh developer Pennant Walters said: “We are committed to maximising and promoting local supply chain and employment opportunities and, on average, 27% of the economic benefits of onshore wind are enjoyed in the local authority area around each project. It’s also gratifying to see the report show that local level of content has increased in each stage of wind farm development between 2011 and 2014, reflecting our industry’s commitment to ensure benefits are spent locally.”

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive, Maria McCaffery, said, “The British onshore wind energy industry is adding £906 million a year to the national economy, so the benefits to the UK are clear to see. This report also shows that onshore wind really does bring benefits to the UK – with £7 in every £10 spent on projects invested in the UK. Onshore wind powers local economies, bringing £199 million of investment into local areas where communities host wind farms, and creating jobs across the supply chain. The industry is helping to propel Britain to a brighter, cleaner future – onshore wind is already the lowest cost of all low carbon options, with potential to be the least cost form of electricity within the next five years.

Yet onshore wind farms are under threat from misguided Tory and UKIP policies aimed at stifling their development, despite being the rational economic choice and having consistently high levels of public support.”

News

Here is an improved version in a cleaner news style:

Published

2 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Students to get wider access to EMA support

MORE students in Pembrokeshire could soon qualify for a £40-a-week education grant as the Welsh Government expands eligibility for the Education Maintenance Allowance.

From September, an extra 1,500 students aged 16 to 18 across Wales will be able to claim the weekly payment, which is designed to help young people stay on in education.

Eluned Morgan MS welcomed the change, saying it would allow more families in Pembrokeshire to benefit from the support.

She said: “Wales already has the most generous EMA offer in the UK. Under a Tory government it was scrapped in England, while Scotland and Northern Ireland offer students less money than in Wales.

“EMA helps young people with costs like books, transport and meals – all things which can affect the cost of living for families.

“Every young person deserves the opportunity to reach their potential, so I am proud that, because of Welsh Labour choices, more students will be supported to do so.”

More than 18,000 students in Wales currently receive EMA, which is available to learners aged 16 to 18 from households below a set income threshold.

The Welsh Government said the latest expansion will mean even more young people can access weekly support from September.

Eluned Morgan said: “The Welsh EMA is breaking down barriers for learners in Pembrokeshire. Everybody deserves an equal opportunity to access education, and providing £40 a week to those eligible is one of the ways in which the Welsh Labour Government is making this a reality.

“Hundreds of learners in Pembrokeshire claim their EMA every year. At £40 a week, Welsh Labour delivers the most generous offer in the UK.

“I know this money makes a real difference for students and their families with the cost of living.

“And, of course, the Welsh Government’s £1 bus fare scheme for young people is helping to make the EMA go even further for families across Pembrokeshire.

“I would urge all 16 to 18-year-olds and their families in the county to take a few minutes to check whether they qualify for support.”

EMA can be used to help with education-related costs including transport, meals and study supplies.

Applications for the new EMA offer open on Monday (Apr 27).

Students and families can check eligibility and apply through Student Finance Wales, or speak to their school or college.

If you want, I can also turn this into a fuller Pembrokeshire Herald article with headline and subheading.

News

Emergency services respond to incident in Haverfordwest town centre

Published

2 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

EMERGENCY SERVICES were called to an incident in Haverfordwest town centre on Saturday morning (Apr 4), with police and ambulance crews attending near County Sports.

Pedestrians were asked to avoid part of the area while the incident was being dealt with, causing some disruption in the town centre.

A witness told The Herald they were walking towards Old Bridge when they were stopped from going through.

The witness said: “I was walking towards the Old Bridge and was told that I had to go around due to a medical emergency.”

The nature of the incident has not yet been officially confirmed.

The Herald understands the emergency response remained in place for some time as crews dealt with the situation.

We have contacted Dyfed-Powys Police for comment.

News

Teenager intervenes after bridge incident

Published

3 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A TEENAGER was left shaken after stepping in to help a young woman in distress on Clay Lanes bridge in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Herald understands the 18-year-old was walking through Clay Lanes at around 4:10am when he noticed a young woman standing on the road bridge over the bypass.

Concerned that something was wrong, he approached her and tried to engage her in conversation. When she remained polite but dismissive, he walked a short distance away and called police before returning to stay nearby.

According to information passed to The Herald, officers arrived a short time later. It is understood the young woman then attempted to go over the bridge, but the teenager pulled her back to safety as police responded and called for further assistance.

His father, who contacted The Herald, said the young man had been badly shaken by the incident.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been approached for comment.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, support is available from Samaritans free of charge, 24 hours a day, on 116 123.

Image: File photo