Micro wind research project – Report (March 2026)

This research project set out to explore the feasibility, acceptability and ROI of single pole wind turbines on farms and other upland businesses in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.

We had 2 goals: (i) to identify the critical characteristics necessary for a successful micro wind turbine installation and (ii) to use an emerging case study to motivate and inform further such installations from the perspective of both a potential property owner and a National Park policy perspective. 

In summary, we learned a great deal about the critical characteristics and challenges for a successful installation (outlined in the research report) but haven’t managed (at least so far) to generate a viable case study for others to follow. 

The research report (in full) is available for download here.

Student projects

Summer 2026 – Applications for this summer are now closed and 3 local students have been selected for funding. The projects range from researching the experience of local homes who have installed Heat Pumps to activities to learn skills in creating, repairing and modifying clothes and other consumables in order to save energy. costs and reduce material waste.

The Rewear Project (Summer 2025)

As a result of the first clothes swap and repair event held in August 2025, two enthusiastic Crickhowell students picked up the baton and have run 2 further successful events and have plans for more.

Student projects

Summer 2026 – Applications for this summer are now closed and 3 local students have been selected for funding. The projects range from researching the experience of local homes who have installed Heat Pumps to activities to learn skills in creating, repairing and modifying clothes and other consumables in order to save energy. costs and reduce material waste.

Summer Student Energy Project 2024

Posted onJuly 8, 2024byAlison Kidd

We are delighted to have awarded Luc James our student energy project funding for this summer. Luc lives in Scethrog and is curently studying Aeronautical Engineering at Imperial College London. Luc’s winning proposal is to research possibilities for micro wind turbines in our area for generating energy for domestic properties or small businesses. This will include exploring challenges to small turbines from ecological, social, locational and planning perspectives and researching different turbine designs and mechanisms and their comparative generation efficiency. We will enjoy working with him on his project.

We were also delighted to hear that Billy Merrill-Glover (our 2023 summer student) has been awarded a PhD place at Manchester University studing carbon capture.

Last summer (2023), we ran our first summer student project where we fund a local person (aged 18-25) to suggest and run a 4 week project which researches or develops an idea which could either reduce our community’s energy or generate new energy from a sustainable source. Projects can be in any of the following areas: domestic heating, food, transport, material consumption, waste or leisure activities/tourism.

Billy Merrill-Glover won the 2023 competition and carried out a fun and very useful feasibility study for a Water Source Heat Pump on the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal which runs through our villages.

Domestic Heating – subsidised consultations

We have offered 75% subsidies for local households to trial individualised remote consultations with ‘The Heating Hub’ . You can read about the different road map consultations which Heating Hub offers here: https://www.theheatinghub.co.uk/how-we-work/green-home-plans The consultations are by ‘phone and online and range in price from £250 to £450 depending on the size and complexity of the house and the level of advice you want.  Two households have taken up this offer and we hope to report back in due course on their experiences in order to decide whether to continue this subsidised scheme.

Engagement with local schools through Energy Sparks

Energy Sparks is a UK wide scheme which helps schools become more energy efficient and fight climate change, through an online, school-specific energy analysis tool and energy education.  Talybont Energy is funding up to 8 local schools to join the scheme. 4 local schools are currently signed up including Llangynidr (against our ceiling of 8). We are looking for ways to build on the relationships formed.

An invite to our community groups…….

(May 2024) Talybont Energy is planning a series of informal meet ups with any of our wide diversity of community groups or village businesses who would like to explore ideas of how to reduce their energy or increase sustainability in the activities they run or the facilities they manage. We can then look to help fund any ideas or projects which emerge. 

This might involve chatting together about :-

• current energy use & costs – ways to reduce them
• consumption of resources like tools, materials, food
• possibilities of sharing resources or energy
• how to convert to more renewable sources of energy or more sustainable practices
• ways to generate renewable energy
• recycling, sharing or re-use of materials, 
• skills training 

Projects might involve heating, lighting, insulation, transport, consumables (food or materials) or activities/events of any kind for our community or our visitors. 

If your group, organisation or community based business would be interested in meeting up with us for an hour sometime to chat through ideas informally, then do contact us at info@talybontenergy.co.uk