Awel Aman Tawe (AAT)

Last year, we visited Awel Aman Tawe (AAT) where they introduced the new Hwb y Gors – a low carbon arts and education centre. Over the past 12 months, AAT have been incredibly busy in preparation for GBGW. We wanted to celebrate their astonishing work, which includes: 

• Working with a number of schools to raise awareness of energy and climate change  and encourage young people to be ‘Energy Warriors’. This has led to incredible changes!  Saundersfoot’s annual C02 went down by 29% and Caerleon Comprehensive School’s annual gas use went down by 20%.   
• Working in partnerships with Energy Sparks to support schools to monitor and find out how to reduce their energy. 
• Collaborating with artists and scientists to deliver the project including Mr Phormula, a Welsh pioneering beatboxer and rapper. Mr Phormula has been working with schoolchildren to design raps for their energy reduction campaigns. Here is an example of a rap written by Penyrheol Comprehensive School’s Energy Council.

In the lead up to GBGW, AAT will be running exciting activities geared at young people. In collaboration with Pembrokeshire Council, AAT are running RASA hydrogen car visits and workshops for local schools.  

• Prendergast School 26th September 
• Saundersfoot School 27th September 
• Lamphey School 28th September 

At Prendergast Primary School, AAT are launching the ‘We are Energy Rappers’ project (27th September), with Ynni Da leading renewable energy experiments (28th Sept) and Year 6 working with Mr Phormula on their Energy Rap (29th Sept). 

More information 

Awel Co-op, is a 4.7MW community wind farm which was commissioned in Jan 2017. It was funded by a £5.25m loan from Triodos Bank and a £3m community share offer. The annual turnover is £1.2m. www.awel.coop 

Egni Co-op develops rooftop solar on schools, businesses and community buildings. It has installed more than 4MWp on nearly 100 sites in Wales.  Egni has raised £4m from a community share offer and £2.12m from the Development Bank of Wales to fund the installs which are ongoing. We save our sites more than £100k in electricity costs/year. All surplus goes into energy education projects in schools working in partnership with Energy Sparks www.egni.coop