South West Wales launches regional investment and energy manufacturing initiatives

South West Wales is moving toward a unified regional investment proposition to better coordinate economic development, energy, transport, and long-term planning. The South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) is leading efforts to align Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, and Swansea to address infrastructure and economic challenges at a regional level rather than through individual local authorities.

As part of this economic push, a new £7 million Supply Chain Fund has been launched to support manufacturers of home energy equipment. Part of the Swansea Bay City Deal’s ‘Homes as Power Stations’ project, the fund offers grants between £100,000 and £1 million to businesses producing technologies such as heat pumps, solar panels, battery storage, and smart energy controls. The initiative aims to localize the production of components currently sourced from overseas, fostering regional innovation and creating skilled jobs.