Welsh energy firm submits energy park planning
Welsh renewable energy developer Bute Energy has submitted an application for a Development of National Significance for the Twyn Hywel Energy Park.
The energy park, on the border of Caerphilly County Borough Council and Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, will include up to 14 wind turbines generating 92.4MW of clean, green energy, enough to power the equivalent of 81,000 households a year.
The project supports the Welsh Government’s target for electricity to be 100% renewable by 2035 and the climate emergency, generating enough clean energy to displace 5.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
An annual community benefit fund of £693,000 will also be created – totalling more than £30 million over the up to 45-year operational life of the project – which will be used to build multi-year legacy projects to benefit local communities.
Projects will include enhancing existing public rights of way to make them more inclusive, partnering with heritage firms, and providing local schools with the opportunity for visits to the site. Improvements to habitats and support for local wildlife are also included in the application, with the project committed to delivering around 20% Biodiversity Net Benefit.
Matthew Haughton, Project Manager for the Twyn Hywel Energy Park, said: “The design of the Energy Park has evolved through constructive feedback from the local community and other stakeholders, that has seen a reduction in the number of turbines, and a change in location of some of the turbines, to reduce the impact on nearby communities.
“As a nation we’re in a climate emergency, and a cost-of-living crisis. Our supply of energy is threatened by world events. Yet there is endless potential for renewable energy in Wales – particularly from the wind that blows across our hills and mountains.
The development will also support local youth charity, Senghenydd Youth Drop-In Centre (SYDIC). Set up in 1997, the centre offers a wide range of opportunities for young people, with 37% of local young people directly accessing their services on a regular basis. Dave Brunton, Senghenydd Youth Drop-In Centre Project Manager said: “Our partnership with Bute Energy helps guarantee on-going community services and support for young people in the Aber Valley. This partnership will help our essential youth support work to continue, while producing education and training opportunities including apprenticeships and internships for local young people.”
Heidi Purnell, Business Engagement Advisor at Careers Wales said: “Support from Bute Energy has helped raise awareness of careers in the Green Energy sector. Schools in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerphilly have undertaken hands-on workshops, and mock interviews and benefitted from talks and discussions. “Careers Wales is looking forward to continuing the partnership and ensuring that young people are aware of the opportunities that the Green Energy sector can bring.”
RenewableUK Cymru Director, Jess Hooper said: “Onshore wind is cheap and quick to build and is a critical part of the renewable energy mix Wales needs to meet our energy security and net zero targets. 40% of Wales’s renewable generation currently comes from onshore wind. To make the major inroads we need to meet the Welsh Government’s proposed target of 100% of electricity from renewable resources by 2035, we desperately need to upgrade our grid network and streamline the planning process so that more onshore wind developments like Twyn Hywel can come online.”
Image from Bute Energy
