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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
6 hours ago
- Leader Live
First Minister Eluned Morgan visits Wrexham University
Eluned Morgan MS toured the Enterprise Engineering and Optics Centre (EEOC) during her visit to the campus, meeting students and staff and learning more about the university's ambitions under its recently launched 2030 Vision and Strategy. The EEOC, which is expected to be completed soon, is the first construction project under the North Wales Growth Deal. Professor Joe Yates, vice-chancellor of Wrexham University, said: "We were delighted to welcome the First Minister to the University today and proudly showcase our incredible facilities – in particular, our Enterprise Engineering and Optics Centre, which is due to open at the start of the next academic year in September, as well as our cutting-edge Health Simulation Centre. "The visit also provided us with a welcome opportunity to highlight our newly launched 2030 Vision and Strategy, and also shine a light on how higher education institutions have a crucial role to play in helping to shape a more resilient and prosperous Wales. READ MORE: Celebrate the class of 2025 with your prom photos "Our work in building skills but also strengthening and developing a bilingual public sector workforce in North Wales, and our civic mission, in terms of providing systems leadership, demonstrates the positive impact our institution has on the communities we serve. "Thank you to the First Minister for her time and engagement with us today – it was a pleasure to welcome her, and showcase just some of our fantastic work." The First Minister toured the EEOC, which will serve as a centre for industry collaboration, research, and innovation, with the aim of supporting growth in renewables and manufacturing. Her visit came days before International Women in Engineering Day on June 23. During the tour, Ms Morgan spoke with Selina Thomas, a final-year aeronautical and mechanical engineering student, who shared her work with KnitMesh Technologies. She has been investigating the impact strength of composite materials for the North Wales-based company. The First Minister also visited the university's Health Simulation Centre, which provides immersive training environments for healthcare students and professionals. Staff highlighted the university's role in strengthening the public sector workforce in North Wales, with a focus on Welsh language provision. Since launching its Welsh Language Academic Strategy and Action Plan, 'Cyfle,' nearly three years ago, the university has introduced Welsh language modules across several degree programmes. These include speech and language therapy, professional policing, and education. Ms Morgan was also updated on the next phase of development within the university's Health and Education Innovation Quarter (HEIQ). This phase will introduce new teaching facilities, including virtual and augmented reality environments. It will also feature a new teaching and learning lab and a hydra simulation suite, developed in partnership with the Hydra Foundation. The suite will be designed to help students build decision-making skills by simulating emergency scenarios. Ms Morgan said: "I was pleased to see first-hand the facilities at Wrexham University, especially the EEOC, which will soon become a vital hub for industry collaboration and skills development across North Wales. "Through their civic work, our higher education institutions can serve as powerful anchors in their communities, supporting business and unlocking collective action to tackle inequality while preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow."
Powys County Times
6 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Letter: Welsh politics is an worsening expensive shambles
MP David Chadwick's column (County Times June 6) caused me to grieve at the histrionics of young career politicians. I congratulate him on his progress, despite setbacks, to a £93,904 MP's salary in Westminster, from April 2025, plus expenses and generous pension arrangements. His pension, unlike the state pension for the rest of us, is fully funded, so no surprise there. But penning his thoughts on the 'onslaught of pressure' to farmers, was he aware of Powys County Council's predominately Lib Dem Cabinet's decision to sell some of Powys's county-owned farms? This picking of long held 'low hanging fruit' to boost council coffers, bare through weak management across the entire county council, is short-sighted and disgraceful. This year's council tax increase is 8.9% with inflation at 3.5% (CPI). Next year, who knows? So, cost cutting across the board should be top priority. There is no alternative. Any talk of growth being sufficient to pay ever burgeoning county council costs is bunkum. If the MP was aware of the farm evictions, his column is spurious - if he was not aware, he should have been, and perhaps he and Powys's other MP, Steve Witherden, should get their heads together and bring the strongest pressure to bear on the County Council. Alongside, avoiding the political divide, Senedd members for Powys, Russell George and James Evans, should engage too. As opposed to evictions (CT June 13), cash strapped Powys County Council's cabinet members for a Fairer Powys and a More Prosperous Powys seem keen to welcome a possible 'asylum seekers' deal'. This would see the national government or Senedd handing over 'Cash to boost Powys housing stock'. For whose benefit - for displaced tenant farming families - surely not? Welsh politics is an expensive shambles, shortly to become more so, if a further 36 under-qualified lightweights join the Senedd, ready to plunder the public purse in 2026 - with a likely extra cost of £18 million annually, rising remorselessly.
South Wales Argus
11 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Teachers expected to 'endure violence,' says union
The union believes that the Welsh Government's 'neglect' is causing a crisis in education. This weekend, members will convene in Cardiff to establish a campaign agenda for the year. Discussions will centre on safeguarding the profession through better recruitment and restoring pay, addressing learner behaviour, and the need for a sincere social partnership. The government has proposed a four per cent pay rise, falling short of the IWPRB's 4.8 per cent recommendation. There were 6,446 recorded violent incidents against school staff in 2023-24. Matt Wrack, acting general secretary, said: "If the Welsh government wants to build a world-class education system, it's time to start investing in teachers." Neil Butler, national official for Wales, said: "This government, it seems, is sleepwalking towards crisis. "While their workloads increase and their pay stagnates, teachers are expected to endure violence in classrooms and accommodate unrealistic qualifications reform."
