Daniel Blackburn was one of the founding directors of Cwm Arian Renewable Energy and, in many ways, he was often the face of our organisation. He passed away unexpectedly on 17 August 2025, aged 54.

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Daniel was ambitious in the best way. Not for the sake of it, but because he believed creativity could bring change. He had big ideas and he gave them a go, even when others weren’t sure they could be pulled off. Our flagship community wind turbine in Llanfyrnach is one example: As part of a small group, Daniel took hold of the idea, campaigned, fundraised and poured in endless hours to make it real. Once it was finally up in 2011, he made sure it kept turning, often fixing the blades himself.

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From that turbine, Cwm Arian Renewable Energy was born, our community benefit society that reflects so much of what Daniel cared about: connecting people with the land and environment, learning about green energy and bringing communities together. 

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Over the years, Daniel helped secure more than £3 million of funding and investment into our local area. From a £400,000 national climate challenge grant in 2009, to a £1.3 million finance package to build the wind turbine in 2019, to his most recent grant of a quarter of a million pounds for renewable energy in community buildings. Daniel made sure resources flowed into this place. Despite struggling with the written word, he was relentless with funding bids because he was passionate about the work he was involved in.

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Daniel gave his time generously, whether in schools firing toilet rolls across classrooms to demonstrate air flow, staying up late supergluing model turbines for children or in the village, helping neighbours, volunteering at events, or turning up at protests. He was funny, inventive, slightly chaotic and always sparking curiosity.

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Daniel had strong opinions and he brought this clarity and conviction into driving CAREs work forward. 

We will remember Daniel smiling, bold, playful, compassionate and empathetic. Daniel’s legacy will live on in the land and projects he helped bring into being and in all that Cwm Arian will continue to do. For all he gave, his ideas, his time, his humour and his friendship, we are deeply grateful.