Emma Taylor, the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) administrator for PCNP, was the guest speaker at Pembrokeshire South East Energy Group's first meeting of the new year.

Emma started by setting out the aims of the fund which reflect the Welsh Government's attitude towards a vision of a sustainable Wales - as in their One Wales: One Planet message.

Since 2000, approximately £3.25 million has gone into the fund and this has generated a further £4.24 million in 'match funding'. It is used to provide initial support to projects which aim to achieve sustainable development in a countryside of great natural beauty and diversity in which the local characteristics of culture, wildlife, landscape, land use and community are conserved and enhanced. Projects focus on demonstrating practical solutions to the environmental, economic and cultural issues relevant locally. The need to support projects in their early stages or as completely new ventures is very necessary as other funding can be very difficult to obtain.

Some of the groups supported in the National Park include the 'Wildfuels' project at the Wildlife Centre, Cilgerran, which looked to use the local resource of reed beds to provide for thatching and also chipping it to be used in their new biomass burner; the Lime Company of West Wales which uses traditional methods to preserve our built heritage and runs workshops to pass on knowledge and expertise; social inclusion schemes which provide access to more remote areas for wheelchair users; providing a farmer with equipment to harvest seeds from his native hay meadow to sell to others who wish to follow this tradition and building extra accommodation for a bee farm to enable this to become a sustainable business.

Knowing PSEEG's interest in renewable energy, Emma illustrated how the results of the SDF's seed corn funding for the Deltastream prototype tested in Milford Haven gave outcomes which allowed access to much larger amounts of funding and the equipment will be tested in Ramsey Sound for one year from early 2014. On Ramsey Island itself, a 7.5 metre wind turbine, an array of 4 PV panels and a battery inverter supply energy to the farmhouse and volunteer accommodation. All this has reduced burning of fossil fuel, reduced energy costs and reduced CO2 emissions. If this can be achieved in such a special and sensitive area it can be copied elsewhere.

A large project being undertaking is to build affordable solar homes to provide environmental and social benefits. It sources timber locally, provides local labour, teaches new skills and changes awareness of timber houses. The first three bedroom eco house is situated at Rhosygilwern. It has 8kW PVs, battery storage and can export surplus electricity to the National Grid.

The SDF helped with the creation of a Straw Baled Community Building at the Stackpole Walled Gardens. A new shop, cafe and community area has created a very sustainable, welcoming addition for the many visitors who come to see the gardens and buy the produce.

Neil Sefton thanked Emma for a fascinating insight into this wide range of projects that the SDF had helped to start and nurture. It is very necessary financial support at the most difficult stage of any scheme.