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Green energy choices
First published: 04/05/2023 -
Last updated: 21/03/2024 -
Verified by our Editorial Panel
Using a little more renewable energy, such as solar, wind, ground and air source heat pumps and a little less energy at home, are green choices we can make to reduce harmful carbon emissions.
Wales’ energy system remains reliant on fossil fuels, which contribute to climate change. The government and industry are working on greener energy systems, to make it easier, more convenient and more affordable for us to adopt green energy choices. We can all play our part by reducing our energy use at home, which not only benefits the environment but will help us lower our household bills.
The Welsh Government is committed to making green choices easier, more affordable and more convenient, and prioritising support where it is needed most. For advice and support to help you with the increased cost of living see gov.wales/help-cost-living, and for free, impartial advice to help make your home warmer and more energy efficient, see nest.gov.wales/support.
Video length:
31 seconds
What can we do?
There are many things we can do to reduce our energy usage and lower our carbon emissions. Click the links to find out more information about ways you can take action:
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Why take action?
Using energy more efficiently is a great way to reduce our environmental impact and household costs, helping you to:
Lower your energy bills
Even the simplest actions, like turning off lights when leaving a room, turning down your thermostat and unplugging electronics when not in use, can help lower your energy bills. Make sure you don’t underheat your home – heat is important in the colder and wetter months to avoid damp and mould.
Reduce carbon emissions
Many of the harmful carbon emissions in Wales come from the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, which currently help many of us to heat our homes. The Welsh Government is working to help people across Wales switch to green energy solutions for our homes, but we can all save money and reduce carbon emissions now by using less energy.
Increase your home value
Energy-efficient homes are a popular option with home buyers and some mortgage providers, as they’re cheaper to run and more sustainable. If it is an old property, it can also enhance your home’s heritage value and significance.
Improve our health and community
Fewer harmful carbon emissions will make the air cleaner, to improve our physical wellbeing and our community.
What is Wales doing?
Total emissions from the electricity and heat production sector in Wales decreased by 35% between 1990 and 2019. This was mainly due to using less coal and more renewable energy.
What is the Welsh Government doing now?
By 2025 around 148,000 houses across Wales will receive retrofit measures to reduce heat loss.
Wales has homes of every size and type, many of which are older buildings. We also have a slightly higher proportion of solid-wall homes compared to the rest of the UK, which means our houses can be more expensive to insulate. There’s no one-size-fits all approach; each property needs to be individually evaluated to find the right insulation solution. This is why the Welsh Government is working on a number of policies to help us all retrofit energy efficient measures in our homes, beginning with social housing.
The Welsh Government is helping to insulate homes, working with local authorities and social landlords as part of the Optimised RetroFit Project. Already in phase three and with £60m committed between 2022 and 2023, it’s designed to make social housing more energy efficient. The aim is to have installed energy saving measures to reduce heat loss in 148,000 homes across Wales by 2025.
The Warm Homes Nest scheme also provides free energy efficiency advice and offers a package of free energy efficiency improvements to households worried about energy bills.
By 2025 the government aims to increase the proportion of electric heat by 3% to reduce the use of fossil fuels. It also aims to meet 100% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2035.
By 2025 all new affordable homes in Wales will be built to net zero carbon, and the ambition is that these standards are adopted by developers of all new homes.
A new state-owned energy developer will build wind farms to produce power that directly benefits people in Wales.
As well as this, the Welsh Government supports:
Community groups to develop renewable energy cooperatives through the Energy Service and with Development Bank of Wales funding. An example of this is Graig Fatha wind farm, run by Ripple Energy.
The development of Regional Energy Strategies and detailed Local Area Energy Plans.
More information
For more detailed information on what the government is doing to improve energy efficiency in buildings and reduce harmful emissions, as well as what you can do, click one of the links below.
Net Zero Wales Carbon Budget 2 – Wales’ commitment to tackling climate change.
The Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest programme helps households who are worried about energy bills with energy efficiency.
The Optimised Retrofit Programme assists social landlords and Local Authorities in making social housing more energy efficient.
The Renewable Energy Developer for Wales will create wind farms to meet Wales’ power needs.
Energy Saving Trust provides information about reducing home heat loss, as well as renewable energy sources such as solar electricity panels, solar water heating and heat pumps.
Tips from Cadw on how to improve energy efficiency in historic buildings in Wales.
Community Energy Wales provides assistance to community groups working on energy projects in Wales.
Read more about solar water heating systems which heat water for your home.
Get support and advice to help you with the increased cost of living.
