As political parties set out their stalls ahead of the 2026 Senedd election, Wales’ renewable energy industry has issued a clear challenge to the next Welsh Government: back a bold, joined-up clean power strategy - or risk billions in investment, thousands of skilled jobs and millions in community funding flowing elsewhere in the UK.
Electricity demand in Wales is projected to double - potentially triple - by 2050. Two planned AI Growth Zones alone could require as much electricity as a city the size of Cardiff. Electrified heavy industry, electric vehicles and heat pumps will all add to that demand. Yet most of Wales’ electricity still comes from imported gas, exposing households and businesses to volatile global prices.
Wales has the natural resources to meet this challenge. With some of the best wind and tidal resources in Europe. The choice facing voters and politicians is clear: continue importing fossil fuels or build a home-grown clean energy system that powers jobs, industry and communities across Wales.
RenewableUK Cymru’s new Cymru Clean Power: Call for Government 2026 outlines how Wales could unlock a £10 billion economic opportunity for Welsh businesses, create 8,000 secure, well-paid jobs, £183 million in community benefit funds across Wales, and deliver affordable, home-grown energy.
At the heart of the Call for Government is a proposed Cymru Clean Power Partnership - a two-way agreement between government and industry.