Response to ReformUK Wales - a ban on new onshore wind and solar will not lead to more affordable, secure energy for Wales

05 March 2026 - RenewableUK Cymru press release

Responding to the launch of Reform UK Wales' manifesto today, Director of RenewableUK Cymru, Jess Hooper said:

"We agree with Reform UK Wales on the fundamental point: Wales needs an energy system that is affordable, reliable and secure, one that serves people, creates good jobs and strengthens national resilience. 

Where we strongly disagree is on how to achieve it. Reform UK Wales have got this backwards. 

High energy bills aren’t caused by renewable energy. Instead, they’re the result of unpredictable gas prices and the UK’s heavy use of gas. Whether gas is sourced from the North Sea or imported, it is still subject to international trading, meaning we have no control over its price. Price spikes are an intrinsic feature of the gas market, and whenever they occur – as they have repeatedly in recent years and currently – households and businesses in Wales bear the brunt. 

Homegrown renewable energy has been a shield, not a burden. Investing in a renewable energy system is a sensible and pragmatic choice for billpayers. 

Wind and solar have already helped protect consumers from the worst of global price shocks. Without them, the UK would have had to import billions of pounds more gas simply to keep the lights on - pushing bills even higher. 

Banning new onshore wind and solar would only lead to higher bills, weaker energy security, and Wales would miss the huge opportunity to secure new jobs and investment. 

New wind and solar projects are the lowest cost and fastest to build forms of electricity generation available today. They can produce power at around half the cost of new nuclear or gas fired power stations, delivering better value for billpayers.  

Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy does not rely on volatile international markets. Its costs are predictable. That makes renewables the most affordable and reliable option for the long term, not an ideological choice. 

Electricity demand in Wales is projected to at least double - and potentially triple - by 2050. If we want genuinely affordable and secure power, it must be homegrown. Energy that can be traded globally will always leave consumers vulnerable to price spikes, no matter where it is extracted. 

Wales is falling behind - and doesn’t need to 

Clean energy is one of the UK’s fastest growing industries, and Wales has world-class wind, solar and tidal resources. Yet we are not building at the scale needed to turn that advantage into jobs, investment and economic growth. 

With an ambitious pipeline of wind, solar and tidal projects, Wales could: 

• Secure £10 billion worth of business for Welsh companies 

• Create 8,000 secure, skilled, well-paid jobs, with average salaries of £49,000 

• Unlock £3 billion from the onshore wind pipeline alone, supporting more than 3,000 jobs 

These are exactly the kind of jobs that allow people to pay the mortgage, raise a family and build a future in their communities. 

The real priorities for Wales. 

We welcome Reform UK Wales’ recognition that grid constraints are holding Wales back and that the country needs a clear industrial strategy for secure, affordable energy. On that, there is common ground. 

But banning the cheapest sources of power while doubling down on the most volatile is not a serious plan for affordability, security or growth. For households, businesses and the Welsh economy, the answer should be obvious. 

Notes

For further information, contact:

• Abigail Beck, Head of Strategic Communications (Cymru)


• abi.beck@renewableuk.com