Ynni Cymru

The Welsh Government established Ynni Cymru as a dedicated agency to support the development of locally owned renewable energy projects across Wales. Its creation reflects the Welsh Government's recognition that the economic benefits of the energy transition must be retained within Welsh communities rather than extracted by external investors.

Ynni Cymru's establishment represents the Welsh Government using its devolved powers to create institutional capacity for community energy that would not exist under UK-wide governance. The agency works to expand locally owned renewable energy — from solar on community buildings to shared ownership of wind projects — ensuring that the economic benefits of Wales' energy transition stay in Welsh communities. Its existence is both a practical intervention and a constitutional statement: it demonstrates that devolved governance can create purpose-built institutions to address Welsh-specific needs, and it embodies the principle that Wales' natural resources should benefit Wales. The agency's work is constrained, however, by the fact that the Crown Estate's control over offshore resources and the UK Government's control over energy policy limit the scope of what Welsh institutions can achieve alone — reinforcing the case for further devolution.