6. Will the Minister make a statement on the uptake of the Welsh Government Energy Service? OAQ53254

Thank you. Since the energy service was launched last year, it has supported public sector organisations and local communities to progress significant energy efficiency and renewable energy schemes. These schemes are expected to result in £16 million of low-cost Welsh Government finance being committed in the current financial year.

Thank you for that answer. Minister, with large-scale projects like Wylfa and the tidal lagoon struggling to get off the ground, it seems to me that it is now time to focus on smaller, community-based energy generation, so that communities can take charge of their energy production and—more to the point—enjoy the savings. What plans do you have to encourage more public sector bodies, community groups and businesses to take up the energy service?

Thank you. Well, I think it's probably a balance about both. I mentioned that the scheme has only been going for about six months. We've got a pipeline of 257 projects across all the 22 local authorities. There are other public sector bodies and community groups involved in that as well. We've already seen many of them in active development with the energy service. As I say, it's only six months in. We are also supporting the development of four large-scale ground-mounted solar projects in north Wales, so I'm very pleased with the progress that we've made in the first six months.

The Welsh Government website says that the energy service aims to develop energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and provides technical, financial and other specialist support for energy projects. You just mentioned working with community groups and others. The original effective pilot, the local affordable warmth scheme launched in Flintshire some years ago, was always built upon a joint working with the third sector and existing energy efficiency schemes. How are you ensuring that that is embedded as this goes forward, and it's not simply a top-down county hall programme? Finally, how are you planning to address concern that, with fluctuating fuel prices, many off-gas-grid homes have recently seen improvements in their energy performance certificates without any alterations being made to their property or any material improvements to the environmental performance of the buildings concerned?

So, in creating the new energy service, we are enabling the public sector to, obviously, decarbonise and make use of this funding, but this service is also supporting local people. It's not just about the public sector. So, local people and local groups are, obviously, coming together to create schemes that will help us deliver against our targets for renewable energy in Wales. I've been to two very good hydro schemes in north Wales run by the community, one in Corwen and one in Bethesda, and, I have to say, to hear individuals say that they know that when they switch their kettle on in their kitchen they are benefiting from that in another way, I think really shows me that this is absolutely the way forward. I know that, quite often, when groups come together, there are lots of technical complexities and we have to do due diligence, obviously, but I do think this scheme is really moving quickly. As I say, it's only been there six months and we've already had many projects coming to fruition.