Latest news with #YnniCelyn
Pembrokeshire Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
‘Rushed' battery storage developments risk ‘devastating' consequences
THE RAPID and largely unregulated proliferation of battery storage developments is becoming an urgent safety issue in many parts of Wales, a Senedd Member warned. Plaid Cymru's Llŷr Gruffydd said he is not opposed to battery energy storage systems (BESS), recognising it as 'vital' infrastructure in the 'national mission' to reach net zero. But the Plaid Cymru politician warned of risks to people's safety 'in a rush to deliver developments without the proper scrutiny they deserve'. He told the Senedd: 'For BESS to truly serve Wales's net-zero goals, development must be guided by strong planning policy, strong safety standards and, of course, strong and meaningful community engagement. 'Projects should be well sited, they should be transparent and designed with public trust in mind. In a nutshell: BESS technology isn't a luxury, it's a necessity for a net-zero Wales.' Leading a debate on June 4, Mr Gruffydd said: 'Clean energy and smart infrastructure must be encouraged but a careful balance needs to be struck. Too often, communities are an afterthought in this conversation – this energy transition needs to put people first.' He warned most of the proposed projects are not happening in remote industrial parks. 'They're being planned within metres of homes, schools and places of work,' he said. 'And the concerns raised by local residents aren't nimbyism [not in my back yard] – they're real, evidence-based fears, particularly around thermal runaway fires, which have caused serious incidents in countries around the world.' Mr Gruffydd, who chairs the Senedd climate committee, raised the example of a fire at Moss Landing, one of the world's largest BESS facilities in California, in January. He told Senedd Members: 'The fire destroyed approximately 80% of the batteries… and led to the evacuation of around 1,500 residents due to concerns over toxic smoke emissions.' He explained that thermal runaway can cause large, long-lasting fires which, in some cases around the world, have taken millions of litres of water to extinguish. Mr Gruffydd said some of the technology used at Moss Landing is identical to what is proposed in many of the 80-plus BESS developments under consideration in Wales. He cautioned that in places like Northop and Gwyddelwern in his north Wales region, communities face plans for installations only 35 to 120 metres from some homes. The politician emphasised: 'We can't build public confidence in this technology unless we put transparency and safety at the heart of how it's planned and how it's delivered. 'The urgency of decarbonisation is real – we all feel it – but we mustn't let that urgency override the need for caution and care.' Mr Gruffydd said the Ynni Celyn scheme in Gwyddelwern would house millions of batteries across nearly 1,000 shipping containers on a 75-acre greenfield site near the small village. He warned: 'A fire at that site would pose a serious risk to the River Dee catchment which, of course, provides drinking water for over one million people and the environmental consequences there could be quite devastating. 'Now, we can't ask residents to simply hope that nothing goes wrong. That isn't good enough, is it? Developers and government must guarantee safety – no exceptions.' Mr Gruffydd urged Welsh ministers to move away from a 'hub-and-spoke' model to a 'spider's web' approach to spread infrastructure more evenly and fairly across Wales. He called for a temporary halt on large-scale BESS projects given the risks, oversight gaps and deep community concern. 'A moratorium gives us time to do things right,' he said. Responding for the Welsh Government, Rebecca Evans told the Senedd energy storage has an important part to play in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Wales' economy secretary said decisions on appropriate locations for battery developments are made through local planning processes under national 'Planning Policy Wales' guidance. She said: 'Planning applications are subject to consultation with key stakeholders, and the fire and rescue authorities are consulted on major development proposals. 'The planning system is able to prevent and mitigate potential harm resulting from the development proposals by imposing conditions on planning permissions.' Ms Evans, who is responsible for energy and planning as well as the economy, would not comment on specific proposals to avoid prejudicing appeals which could land on her desk.
Pembrokeshire Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
St Andrew's Church, Narberth, taken over by herd of goats
THE RAPID and largely unregulated proliferation of battery storage developments is becoming an urgent safety issue in many parts of Wales, a Senedd Member warned. Plaid Cymru's Llŷr Gruffydd said he is not opposed to battery energy storage systems (BESS), recognising it as 'vital' infrastructure in the 'national mission' to reach net zero. But the Plaid Cymru politician warned of risks to people's safety 'in a rush to deliver developments without the proper scrutiny they deserve'. He told the Senedd: 'For BESS to truly serve Wales's net-zero goals, development must be guided by strong planning policy, strong safety standards and, of course, strong and meaningful community engagement. 'Projects should be well sited, they should be transparent and designed with public trust in mind. In a nutshell: BESS technology isn't a luxury, it's a necessity for a net-zero Wales.' Leading a debate on June 4, Mr Gruffydd said: 'Clean energy and smart infrastructure must be encouraged but a careful balance needs to be struck. Too often, communities are an afterthought in this conversation – this energy transition needs to put people first.' He warned most of the proposed projects are not happening in remote industrial parks. 'They're being planned within metres of homes, schools and places of work,' he said. 'And the concerns raised by local residents aren't nimbyism [not in my back yard] – they're real, evidence-based fears, particularly around thermal runaway fires, which have caused serious incidents in countries around the world.' Mr Gruffydd, who chairs the Senedd climate committee, raised the example of a fire at Moss Landing, one of the world's largest BESS facilities in California, in January. He told Senedd Members: 'The fire destroyed approximately 80% of the batteries… and led to the evacuation of around 1,500 residents due to concerns over toxic smoke emissions.' He explained that thermal runaway can cause large, long-lasting fires which, in some cases around the world, have taken millions of litres of water to extinguish. Mr Gruffydd said some of the technology used at Moss Landing is identical to what is proposed in many of the 80-plus BESS developments under consideration in Wales. He cautioned that in places like Northop and Gwyddelwern in his north Wales region, communities face plans for installations only 35 to 120 metres from some homes. The politician emphasised: 'We can't build public confidence in this technology unless we put transparency and safety at the heart of how it's planned and how it's delivered. 'The urgency of decarbonisation is real – we all feel it – but we mustn't let that urgency override the need for caution and care.' Mr Gruffydd said the Ynni Celyn scheme in Gwyddelwern would house millions of batteries across nearly 1,000 shipping containers on a 75-acre greenfield site near the small village. He warned: 'A fire at that site would pose a serious risk to the River Dee catchment which, of course, provides drinking water for over one million people and the environmental consequences there could be quite devastating. 'Now, we can't ask residents to simply hope that nothing goes wrong. That isn't good enough, is it? Developers and government must guarantee safety – no exceptions.' Mr Gruffydd urged Welsh ministers to move away from a 'hub-and-spoke' model to a 'spider's web' approach to spread infrastructure more evenly and fairly across Wales. He called for a temporary halt on large-scale BESS projects given the risks, oversight gaps and deep community concern. 'A moratorium gives us time to do things right,' he said. Responding for the Welsh Government, Rebecca Evans told the Senedd energy storage has an important part to play in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Wales' economy secretary said decisions on appropriate locations for battery developments are made through local planning processes under national 'Planning Policy Wales' guidance. She said: 'Planning applications are subject to consultation with key stakeholders, and the fire and rescue authorities are consulted on major development proposals. 'The planning system is able to prevent and mitigate potential harm resulting from the development proposals by imposing conditions on planning permissions.' Ms Evans, who is responsible for energy and planning as well as the economy, would not comment on specific proposals to avoid prejudicing appeals which could land on her desk.
North Wales Live
6 days ago
- Business
- North Wales Live
Giant batteries are a huge opportunity for Wales but they must not be built close to homes
The transition to greener energy is already underway and a key part of that transition will be battery storage of surplus electricity - a surplus we already have in abundance in Wales. Electricity generation by green means is already cheaper and, although Wales is the fifth largest exporter of electricity in the world (let that fact sink in for a moment), Welsh communities do not benefit as much as we would wish from that production. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are increasingly becoming an issue across our communities – and it's a rapid and largely unregulated rise. It's recognised as a vital tool to reach net zero but the rush to deliver these large-scale developments without proper scrutiny cannot go unchallenged. Let's first acknowledge their importance - BESS are a cornerstone of Wales's strategy to achieve net zero emissions and transition to a clean energy future. As the country accelerates the shift away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy sources, the importance of effective energy storage cannot be overstated. Renewables are variable — the sun doesn't always shine and the wind doesn't always blow. BESS technology addresses this by storing excess electricity generated and releasing it when demand is high or when generation dips. This stabilises the grid, ensuring a constant and reliable energy supply regardless of fluctuations in generation. For Wales, BESS offers a practical solution to balance supply and demand and make the most of our clean energy assets. Furthermore, investing in BESS creates economic opportunities for Wales. It can stimulate job creation in green technology, engineering and innovation, while positioning the country as a leader in sustainable infrastructure. Industries dependent on heavy energy demand, such as steel, can be guaranteed reliable and cheap electricity supplies. So BESS technology is not a luxury – it's a necessity for a net-zero Wales. Clean energy and smart infrastructure must be encouraged - but a careful balance needs to be struck. Development must be guided by strong planning policy, safety standards and community engagement. The projects being proposed aren't happening on remote industrial parks. They're being planned within metres of homes, schools, and places of work. And the concerns raised by local residents are real - particularly around thermal runaway fires, which have caused serious incidents around the world. One such incident was at Moss Landing in California in January 2025. The fire destroyed approximately 80% of the batteries in the affected building and led to the evacuation of around 1,500 residents due to concerns over toxic smoke emissions. The incident raised environmental concerns, as elevated levels of heavy metals such as manganese, cobalt and nickel were detected. These contaminants pose potential risks to both the environment and public health. Here in Wales, the proposed Ynni Celyn scheme by developers NatPower in Gwyddelwern, Denbighshire is set to be one of the largest BESS sites in Europe. The development would house millions of batteries across nearly 1,000 shipping containers on a 75-acre greenfield site close to this small village. Understandably, the scale and proximity of the project to homes has sparked serious concern among local residents. A community campaign group has voiced strong objections - not only about the size and location of the facility, but also regarding the nature of the developers' engagement with the community. The community has also expressed scepticism toward the developer's reassurances on safety. Similar concerns are also being expressed about other large-scale BESS proposals in Northop, Rhostyllen and other communities across the country. The current planning system has become a free-for-all. In a new gold rush, developers are surging forward with applications that often fall far short of the safety or location assurances that communities deserve. I'm therefore calling on the Government to take back control of this space — with a strong, national framework that: Balances the interests of industry with the rights of local people. Includes clear, science-based criteria for where and how BESS can be sited. And restores public trust in the integrity of the planning system. Given the current risks, gaps in oversight and community concern, the Government must impose a moratorium on large-scale BESS projects that exceed 250MWh in capacity and are located within a kilometre of homes. This is not a call to stop clean energy, but a call to deliver it responsibly. The 250MWh threshold allows smaller, lower-risk projects to proceed and the 1km buffer mirrors new safety regulations in California, introduced after the Moss Landing incident. A moratorium gives us time to do things right. Alongside the moratorium, I'm urging the Welsh Government to launch a full, independent risk assessment into the safety and environmental impacts of large-scale BESS. The results of that assessment should shape new national planning policy. Wales must not repeat the mistakes of the past - where poorly regulated development was justified in the name of progress. Clean energy must be safe energy and climate action must be community-driven. Let's work together to build a net-zero Wales that is safe, sustainable, and worthy of the trust of our people.
