Grid Growth Is Crucial for Rural Wales' Green Future
At Green GEN Cymru, we're in the business of making connections, quite literally. As an Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), we have the ability to propose, build, and operate electricity distribution networks across the UK, up to 132,000 volts. That puts us squarely at the heart of the UK's energy transformation, and nowhere is the need for transformation more urgent than in Wales.
Wales can be a true leader in renewable energy, particularly wind. In Mid Wales, we're working to unlock around three gigawatts of new renewable generation, primarily onshore wind. The geography is perfect, high hills, strong wind, and local support for greener, cleaner power. The problem? The power can't get out so as to allow Wales to reach its green energy potential. .
The real bottleneck lies in the grid. Right now, Wales is largely served by two 400kV transmission corridors, one in the north and one in the south, effectively running along the A55 and M4. That might work well for urban centres and industry along those routes, but it leaves huge areas of the country, particularly Mid Wales, cut off from the wider transmission network.
This is the pinch point we face – incredible renewable energy potential stuck without a route to market.
It's not just about generation either. Electricity flows both ways. As more of our transport, heating and industry moves to electric power, the need for reliable local distribution networks becomes just as critical. In simple terms, people and businesses in Mid Wales need better access to power.
The consequences of grid limitations are being felt already. Take Ceredigion, a rural area with big ambitions for clean transport. The region has electric buses, but no local capacity to charge them. They're being driven to Carmarthenshire to plug in. That's not just inefficient, it's a clear example of how infrastructure isn't keeping pace with ambition.
As a distribution operator, we can help address these local challenges. By extending and strengthening the distribution network into areas like Mid Wales, we can support EV charging hubs, power business expansion, and give communities the energy infrastructure they need to thrive in a net zero future.
We're not doing this alone. In Wales, there are two regional distribution network operators, National Grid Electricity Distribution and Scottish Power Energy Networks everyone needs to work together to deliver for the country. Whether it's large-scale transmission or regional distribution, we all have a shared mission, to build a grid that works for the future.
But the scale of the challenge means we need to move faster and smarter. Wales cannot afford to be left behind as the UK transitions to net zero. Every delayed connection, every stranded project, every missed opportunity to electrify transport or industry, chips away at our collective progress.
If we want to realise the full potential of Wales' renewable resources, create new jobs, and keep our communities competitive, grid growth isn't optional, it's essential.
At Green GEN Cymru, we're committed to being part of the solution. The connections we build today are the foundation for the Wales we all want to see tomorrow, clean, connected, and powered by its own natural strengths.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Top Gear
an hour ago
- Top Gear
Opinion: there's hope yet for a fun motoring future
Opinion Despite the doom and gloom in recent years for petrolheads, Jethro reckons the foreseeable future looks exciting Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading As I write this, the sun is shining and the temperature has picked up. It's finally spring and my optimism is rising. It helps that there seems to be good news every single day at the moment. (Not in the wider world, which is a disaster, but in our little automotive enclave.) After several years of oppressive doom and gloom for car enthusiasts it appears the oft touted winter of our passion has been rolled back, the heavy frost is thawing and maybe, just maybe it's spring for us, too. Do I feel bad that EV sales are failing to ignite as anticipated, causing manufacturers all sorts of problems? I do not. Am I happy to see the likes of Porsche reinvesting in ICE technology and trying to adapt new EV only architecture to accept engines? Oh yes. Does the news that Mercedes is developing a new V8 engine and will stick it back in the C63 model ASAP fill me with glee? I'm afraid it does. Advertisement - Page continues below Perhaps I should feel a tinge of guilt. We are all meant to want to save the world. But instead I find myself heartened by the power of the people. For years publicly pious and mostly disingenuous politicians have made decisions on our behalf that sound great on the election campaign trail but have no grounding in reality. For once, a large majority of people in all markets have just said, 'Well, we can make our own decisions". To put it politely. This is not to say that I hate EVs. But boy, have they been shoved down our throats. Usually new technology takes over once it's better, cheaper and more convenient than the incumbent. Right now it's none of those things in all but a very few use cases. As many have said before, legislate the end goal and let the engineers do the rest. Legislating the path to said target from a position of limited knowledge and experience is a fool's errand. You might like All that being said, my hopes for the future of fun motoring is even being bolstered in the EV segment, too. I couldn't care much for yet another 1,000bhp saloon or 2,000bhp supercar that weighs more than the moon and has an appeal half-life measured in seconds, but projects like the new Renault 5 Turbo 3E are genuinely intriguing. It references old heroes but isn't slavishly stuck in the past and the look, feel and promise of the technology within is lip smacking. There's a film on TG's YouTube channel (that you can watch below) about the 3E but just think reimagined Group B look, RWD and 540bhp from two in-wheel motors that offer precise torque vectoring, plus a hydraulic handbrake. And just 1,450kg! It's an extreme concept and, sadly, a huge chunk of change at over £120,000, but at least it's provocative and recognises that a conventional sports car or supercar with a sonorous engine replaced by electric motors just won't cut it. For an EV to be truly fun requires a wholly different approach. Advertisement - Page continues below The real challenge is to bring this sort of thinking into the grasp of normal people who can't blow well over £100,000 on a car with a very narrow capability window. Luckily, while manufacturers work out the solution to that conundrum, we've all been granted a reprieve. The road ahead is long, exciting and paved, for the foreseeable future, with V8 engines. 25 minutes 19 seconds Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Auto Blog
3 hours ago
- Auto Blog
3 Things That Prove Car Buyers Don't Want EVs to be Weird
From design to driving experience, today's EV shoppers are looking for familiarity Here are three reasons why car buyers don't want EVs to be weird. You can have the future without looking like a space alien 2025 BMW i4 M50 — Source: BMW The first mass-market electric vehicle (EV) was the Nissan LEAF, introduced in 2010, and it seems Nissan's goal was to separate the LEAF from gas-powered models by looking strange. The solid proboscis front fascia, the amorphous headlights that crept up to the A-pillars, the odd round rear haunches, and the protruding butt all made for an almost alien-like craft. And that was just the exterior. For more than a decade, automakers have tried to make electric vehicles stand out by making them… well, weird. Early EVs often looked and felt like they were from another planet. It was all part of a strategy: If you're going to drive the car of the future, shouldn't it look futuristic? 0:00 / 0:09 2025 Ford Maverick: 4 reasons to love it, 2 reasons to think twice Watch More But a funny thing happened on the way to mass EV adoption: car buyers balked. Turns out, most people don't want to drive a pod on wheels or relearn how to operate a vehicle just because it's electric. What consumers really want are EVs that fit seamlessly into their lives, not ones that scream, 'I'm different!' Here are three things that prove car buyers want EVs to be familiar, rather than looking like weird rolling spacecraft. The rise of 'normal' looking EVs Chevrolet Blazer EV SS — Source: Chevrolet In the early EV days, standing out was the name of the game. It wasn't just the LEAF that worked too hard to be noticed. The BMW i3 was easily the brand's least fetching model with some of the worst bodywork we've ever laid eyes on. Sure, it looked like nothing else on the road, but that's not always a good thing. The original Toyota Prius—while not an EV but a hybrid pioneer—looked like Paul Bunyan was insulted by its environmental efforts and stepped on the nose of a once normal-looking subcompact sedan. First-gen Toyota Prius — Source: Hagerty But as more buyers entered the EV market, especially mainstream consumers who weren't early adopters or tech nerds, it became clear that outlandish designs were a turnoff. Today, many of the best-selling EVs are the ones that look like regular cars. They prove you can ditch the gas without ditching good taste. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Take the Ford F-150 Lightning, for example. It looks nearly identical to the gas-powered F-150, the best-selling vehicle in America for decades. The typical bystander can't distinguish between the two, and that's no accident. Ford specifically chose to preserve the familiar shape and utility of the truck because it knows its customers don't want to drive a spaceship; they want to haul lumber, go camping, and tow boats, just like a gas truck owner. 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat The Hyundai Ioniq 6 may look sleek and futuristic, but the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6—both of which sell well—strike a balance between distinctive and practical, without being too radical. Even Tesla, a brand known for innovation, has stuck with relatively minimalist, subdued exterior styling on its most successful models, the Model 3 and Model Y. They're clean and modern, yes, but not weird. Okay, so there's the Cybertruck, but we all know how that's going. Then there's the 3rd-generation Nissan LEAF, a conventional-looking modern crossover that shed all of its old weirdness. If that's not enough proof, consider the new crop of EVs: the Honda Prologue, the restyled Toyota bZ, the Chevy Blazer EV, the Hummer EV, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. These are EVs meant to look like real cars, and that's the hot trend now. The push for conventional interiors 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV — Source: Chevrolet If you think that some of the cabins in EVs were annoying and strange, you're not alone. One of the more frustrating trends in early EVs was the push to reinvent the wheel—literally and figuratively—when it came to controls. Carmakers, perhaps trying to emphasize that EVs were different, often went overboard with gimmicky interfaces. The first Nissan LEAF's bizarre interior looked like it came out of a '90s B sci-fi flick with its doughy white steering wheel and the orb-like shifter. It's the kind of stuff that makes the ovular 1996 Ford Taurus cabin look conventional. Updated Tesla Model S It also seems that numerous EV manufacturers thought their vehicles should have a tablet-sized center screen that controlled everything from the radio to the air vents. How about when Tesla eliminated stalks and buttons altogether in favor of a touch-and-swipe interface? For a while, EV cabins felt more like iPads on wheels than traditional cars. The result for drivers was often frustration with the unfamiliarity and the steep learning curve. Minimalism isn't always a good thing, tantamount to eyeglass frames that clamp on the nose with no temples to grab. Even Tesla's controversial decision to remove traditional turn signal stalks in the updated Model S and Model X has drawn widespread criticism. Many drivers are simply not ready to rewire their muscle memory every time they drive. 2024 Honda Prologue — Source: Honda Now, there appear to be more EVs that utilize physical controls, relatively standard shift knobs, and ergonomics that contribute to intuitive operation. The Chevy Blazer EV is one of them. It has big screens, yes, but switchgear to complement it. Hyundai and Kia have smartly kept a mix of physical and digital controls, allowing for a user experience that feels both modern and comfortable. The interior of the Honda Prologue is about as conventional as they get. If you were to get inside without knowing it's an EV, you'd never guess by looking at the dash, center stack, and center console. It has a normal-looking steering wheel, big stalk controls, and plenty of buttons and knobs for audio and climate. The lesson here is simple: car buyers might be open to new powertrains, but they don't want to relearn how to drive. Familiarity builds comfort, and comfort builds sales. Losing the strange EV names VW Another clue that buyers want familiarity in their EVs is the transition away from names that were meant to set EVs apart from gas models. The Mercedes-Benz EQS and the Volkswagen ID series stand out the most. Both naming conventions seemed to have backfired. The EQS sedan and SUV don't carry the same panache as the S-Class or GLS-Class, as much as the electric versions try to follow in the footsteps of their gas-powered stablemates. VW's ID series is just plain awkward, especially when paired with non-words like and . 2026 Toyota bZ — Source: Toyota Even Toyota misfired with its hard-to-remember bZ4X name. Once you could finally memorize the name, you realized you didn't know which letters were uppercase or lowercase. Nobody should have to think about that. Now, it's just called bZ, and Toyota might do away with that shortly. Smarter name choices by manufacturers included the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Kona Electric, and the Chevrolet Blazer EV, all recognized model names with electric labels attached to them. It's not just ditching what's strange, it's capitalizing on what has already worked. Final thoughts In the EV race, it has taken only a little over a decade for automakers to figure out that departing too much from what's familiar is bad and that radical reinvention isn't always the way to win hearts or wallets. As EVs begin to feel more like the cars people already love—visually, ergonomically, and functionally—they're proof that making the kind of improvements people care about results in better sales. Of course, EV buyers don't want their vehicles to be boring. They just don't want them to be weird. Give them something familiar, with all the benefits of electric driving and none of the alienation, and they're on board. Onlookers might say, 'That's electric?' because they can't tell the difference, and that just might be the best kind of compliment. About the Author Amos Kwon View Profile
Glasgow Times
21 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Government makes driveway law change set to affect millions
No more planning applications are needed for EV charging point installations as the government cuts red tape. Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, announced drivers and businesses will no longer need to submit a planning application to install public or private EV sockets. EV owners will be able to unlock savings of up to £1,100 a year compared to running a petrol or diesel car. 🇬🇧 Great to visit @astonmartin yesterday — where British engineering meets world-class innovation. 🚗 Took the DBX707 for a spin 🌍 UK trade deals with 🇺🇸 🇪🇺 🇮🇳 to safeguard 150,000 jobs in auto & steel 🔋 £2.3bn Govt boost to power the switch to EVs — Lilian Greenwood (@LilianGreenwood) June 6, 2025 The planning changes also apply to workplace and public chargepoints, meaning businesses will be able to install new sockets faster and for less money, increasing the number of public chargepoints. Ms Greenwood said: "We're cutting down on paperwork to power up the EV revolution, so that drivers, businesses and those looking to make the switch will have more chargepoints to power from, and less red tape to deal with." Vicky Edmonds, chief executive of EVA England, said: "Making it easier to install both public and private charging infrastructure is essential to helping more drivers switch to electric." She warned "further action is needed" as "drivers without driveways still face barriers to affordable, convenient charging". Recommended reading: She added: "We urge the Government to increase its support of the rollout of cross-pavement charging and extend legal rights to tenants and leaseholders, so all drivers can access and benefit from cheaper and more convenient charging." Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for The AA, believes "removing the planning rules" will help "accelerate installations". He further added: "The crucial element is ensuring grid connection in a timely manner. This is especially important in rural locations and areas where there is no dedicated off-street parking." Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at consumer group Which? said it is "an important step in the right direction".
