With the support of Growing Mid Wales, the Welsh Government Climate Innovation funded Whole System Research and Innovation for Decarbonisation (WSRID) programme has successfully completed Phase 2, where a series of innovative projects were developed and tested at prototype stage to support the transition to net zero in rural Wales.
WSRID Phase 2 explored how rural and agricultural communities can decarbonise while managing increasing demand on constrained electricity networks. The programme brought together public bodies, industry, academia and rural stakeholders to develop practical, whole-system solutions grounded in real-world conditions.
Rather than focusing on a single technology, Phase 2 examined how decentralised energy generation, flexible energy use and digital tools can work together to reduce pressure on the grid while supporting farming, forestry, rural businesses and local economic growth.
Here’s what the four Phase 2 projects focused on:
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- HARVEST (Centre for Energy Equality and partners) – Developed a socially inclusive, community-led energy model through a Social Virtual Power Plant (SVPP), designed to share benefits across rural communities and provide local flexibility. The project also delivered a demonstrator in Llanidloes with Ynni Cymru funding.
- Water to Water – RuraVolt – Delivered a user-friendly digital feasibility tool enabling farms to assess on-farm smart energy options, including renewables, storage and green hydrogen. The tool is now live for Welsh dairy farms and can be accessed at https://watertowater.co.uk/ruravolt/
- Challoch Energy – VREM Cymru (Devil’s Bridge) – Explored the use of curtailed wind energy to produce green hydrogen, supporting the decarbonisation of forestry and timber operations – an economically important but hard-to-decarbonise rural sector.
- Lafan – Developed a proposal to utilise excess livestock nutrients through anaerobic digestion and biochar production. Slurry would be dried on-farm and transported to a central hub, with energy generated either injected into the gas grid or converted into electricity for storage and grid use.
The completion of Phase 2 marks an important milestone, with findings helping to shape future programmes, funding and policy to ensure rural Wales plays a central role in the transition to net zero.
In a joint statement from the Leaders of Growing Mid Wales Councillor Bryan Davies, Leader of Ceredigion County Council, and Councillor Jake Berriman, Leader of Powys County Council, said: “This programme is helping turn new ideas into real opportunities for Mid Wales, showing how innovation can deliver practical benefits for our communities, businesses and rural economy. By supporting projects from early feasibility through to prototype stage, we are building the evidence and confidence needed to take these solutions further. Continued investment will be key to scaling what works, ensuring Mid Wales is well placed to deliver on net zero while creating long-term economic opportunities for the region.”
