Wind and solar sharing one grid link, so the site keeps exporting clean power day and night.
Wind and solar
Coastal cliffs, Wales
Online 2023
Capacity
186 MW
Technology
Wind and solar
Homes powered
140,000
The story
How we planned and built it
The challenge
The grid could only take one new connection, and the council wanted power that matched evening demand, not just windy afternoons.
Cliff top winds swing hard with the seasons, and the coastal path had to stay open for the whole of the build.
Our approach
We paired nine turbines with a solar array on the same connection, sizing each so that sun covers calm summer days and wind carries the nights and winter.
A shared substation and battery-ready layout means the site can add storage later without a second grid application.
The result
The hybrid site exports power on 340 days a year and a share of every megawatt hour funds the village community trust.
The coastal path reopened with viewing points and signs that explain how the hybrid site works.
Key facts
9 turbines plus 64 MW of solar on one 186 MW connection
Exports power on 340 days a year
Coastal path kept open for the full build
Battery-ready substation for future storage
One connection, two kinds of power. It is the most reliable renewable site we have on our network.
RB
Rhys Bevan
Network planner, Western Grid
