Welsh renewable energy developer, Bute Energy, has unveiled its plans for a wind project in Wales. The Moel Chwa Energy Park will be home to 12 turbines, with a capacity of 80MW. The project will be situated near Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr in Conwy and the turbines will reach a maximum tip height of 200 metres. Bute Energy's proposed wind farm will connect to the National Grid at a new substation located approximately 7km away in Gwyddelwern.
The Welsh Government's National Development Framework, Future Wales: The National Plan 2040, recognises the proposed site as a Pre-Assessed Area for large-scale onshore wind energy. The Moel Chwa Energy Park will generate more than 10MW of energy and is therefore classified as a Development of National Significance. This requires Bute Energy to apply to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), who will make a recommendation to Welsh Ministers regarding the granting of planning permission.
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Bute Energy is set to submit a planning application to PEDW in 2024, after thorough public engagement. The company's Community Benefit team will create a Community Benefit Fund that will invest around £590,000 per year locally. The fund will aim to create employment opportunities for the local community, encourage best practice access to energy parks, and reduce carbon footprints and energy bills for schools and community facilities.
The first round of public consultation will end on Sunday 11 June 2023. Bute Energy aims to hear the views of the local community on its initial proposals, and their concerns and aspirations for the project. John Reilly, Project Manager at Bute Energy, said, “We want to hear the views of local people on our plans, so we can take them into account as we develop the project. We also want to hear from local people how we can help support projects and tackle issues in communities around the site – so we can deliver real benefits to local people.”
Bute Energy's proposal for the Moel Chwa Energy Park has already been well-received by environmentalists and renewable energy enthusiasts. According to Greenpeace UK, “Onshore wind is one of the cheapest and most popular forms of renewable energy available in the UK. It's great to see Bute Energy leading the way in Wales, and we hope to see more projects like this in the future.”
The project's success is critical to achieving the Welsh government's target of generating 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. With the involvement of the local community, Bute Energy aims to ensure that the project benefits the area, creating job opportunities, reducing carbon footprints and energy bills, and boosting the local economy.
