Carno II Windfarm a shining example for Wales says Mick Bates AM

Following the opening of the Carno II Windfarm, Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates has praised the green credentials of Carno and the excellent co-operation between the wind developers Amegni and the local community, which he states heralds Carno II as a shining example for Wales for the development of renewable energy.

Commenting, Mick Bates stated:

“I was delighted to attending the opening of Carno II Windfarm, to celebrate such a positive development that was warmly welcomed within the local community. Carno II Windfarm represents the result of excellent consultation and good co-operation between the developers and the local community, which is the way forward for the development of renewable energy in Wales.”

Carno II Windfarm will supply over a quarter of the Powys population with electricity and repay the energy used during construction within 8 months. During development in excess of £4.5million was injected into the Welsh economy and the windfarm will invest £30,000 annually on projects that directly benefit the local community, as well as ensure a commitment to manage the habitat around the site.

Mick warns there is still much work to be done to reach Welsh targets for renewable energy:

“In Wales there is great ambition for green energy but sadly a lack of action. Carno II Windfarm will contribute an additional 15.6MW towards the Tan 8 target to produce 800MW of onshore capacity by 2010 but there is still a long way to go and only a few months left. Wales lags behind other countries across Europe for the development of renewable energy, despite having some of the best conditions as the UK is windier than any other country in Europe.

"Carno is a community that can be proud of its green credentials, embracing many forms of renewable energy such as the new wood pellet boiler at Carno Community Centre. I hope that other communities across Wales will follow suit and embrace the benefits that renewable energy can bring to stimulate our rural economies, so that we can see real progress towards our targets for green energy in Wales.”

Photograph: Mick and Carno II developers Amegni at opening of Carno II Windfarm