Welsh onshore windfarms subsidies

Renewable Obligation Certificate subsidies account for just under 50% of turnover

The Renewable Obligation is one of the main support mechanisms for large-scale renewable electricity projects in the UK.  It was introduced by the Labour government in 2002 and closed to new entrants by the Conservative government in 2017.

Welsh onshore windfarms' lifetime subsidies

Renewable Obligation subsidies run for the life time of a project and so a lifetime subsidy can be estimated.

These 24 Welsh windfarms are on track to receive around £ 2 billion in government subsidies over their lifetimes.

Profitability absent subsidies

Most Welsh onshore windfarms are not profitable absent subsidies

It is clear that Welsh onshore windfarms owe their existence to Renewable Obligation subsidies.  Less clear is whether new windfarms can thrive without such subsidies.