UnEarth Magazine.

Words by Teigan Atiken, Art by Lucy Brown.

The largest collection of offshore wind farms in Wales sits 8 km away from my home, in the Irish sea. This collection currently encompasses four separate wind farm sites, between them, these wind farms already produce enough green energy to power almost 2 million homes.  

But these wind farms are being added too again, the proposed development marking the fifth in the past 22 years. And whilst there is no doubt that the wind farms are hugely beneficial to Wales’ net zero target, a question arises as to how these continual developments affect the communities based opposite them on land.  

The new development, named Awel y Mor, will be Wales’ largest energy investment this decade and its community impacts are already being felt; through infrastructure developments, and educational investments. There have been routine community consultations, the continuation, and replenishment, of the community funds that have been in place since the first development. The communities based along the North Welsh coast undoubtedly feel the impacts – both positive and negative- of the wind farms.  

The positive impact these wind farms can have, can be seen through the community benefits fund that the lead energy resource company on the project set up. Benefiting communities across the North Welsh coast, the funds are administered by local community partnerships, with each separate development supporting different areas of the coast. For example, the fund linked to the North Hoyle development has a base level of £60,000 per annum, linked to the nationwide index, with an expected lifetime amount of over £1.5 million invested in the Rhyl, Prestatyn, and Meliden communities [https://uk.rwe.com/in-your-community/fund-list/wales/]. 

These funds are meant to help build strong and sustainable communities, foster strong economic growth, and aid the reduction of poverty and inequality within communities. From Gwynt y Mors funding, The Prince’s Trust were able to expand their Enterprise Programme to a targeted region in North Wales. The challenges faced by young people in the area, poor educational progression, and a depleting economy, were exacerbated during the pandemic and the Trust aimed to alleviate these challenges. Encouraging young people to develop a greater understanding of self-employment and entrepreneurial skills, the Trust pointed young people in a direction that not only benefits the individual but the community too.  

The reach of these community funds can be seen below, stretching across the entirety of the North Welsh coast and inland too.