A set of prototype projects aimed at cutting emissions in rural Wales has reached a key milestone, with Phase 2 of the Welsh Government Climate Innovation-funded Whole System Research and Innovation for Decarbonisation (WSRID) programme completed with support from Growing Mid Wales.

The second phase examined how farming and rural communities can decarbonise while coping with rising electricity demand on constrained local networks. Public bodies, industry, academics and rural stakeholders collaborated to design practical, whole-system solutions grounded in real-world conditions.

Instead of backing a single technology, the programme looked at how decentralised generation, demand flexibility and digital tools can work together to ease pressure on the grid while supporting agriculture, forestry, rural enterprises and local growth.

HARVEST (Centre for Energy Equality and partners) developed a socially inclusive, community-led energy model through a Social Virtual Power Plant (SVPP) to share benefits locally and provide flexibility. A demonstrator was delivered in Llanidloes with funding from Ynni Cymru.

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Water to Water – RuraVolt produced an intuitive digital feasibility tool that lets farms assess smart on-farm energy options, including renewables, storage and green hydrogen.

Challoch Energy – VREM Cymru (Devil’s Bridge) explored converting curtailed wind power into green hydrogen to help decarbonise forestry and timber operations, a vital but hard-to-abate sector in rural areas.

Lafan set out a proposal to turn surplus livestock nutrients into energy via anaerobic digestion and biochar production. Slurry would be dried on-farm and transported to a central hub, with energy injected into the gas grid or converted to electricity for storage and use on the grid.

Completion of Phase 2 is an important step, with the findings expected to inform future programmes, funding and policy so that rural Wales can play a central role in achieving net zero.

In a joint statement, Councillor Bryan Davies, Leader of Ceredigion County Council, and Councillor Jake Berriman, Leader of Powys County Council, who lead Growing Mid Wales, said: "This programme is helping turn new ideas into real opportunities for Mid Wales, showing how innovation can deliver practical benefits for our communities, businesses and rural economy. By supporting projects from early feasibility through to prototype stage, we are building the evidence and confidence needed to take these solutions further. Continued investment will be key to scaling what works, ensuring Mid Wales is well placed to deliver on net zero while creating long-term economic opportunities for the region."

Growing Mid Wales will now consider how to test, scale and deploy these concepts more widely across the region.