ON THURSDAY, June 17th, 70 businesses attended a Meet the Buyer Event in Penallta Rugby Club, Ystrad Mynach hosted by Welsh onshore wind developer Bute Energy, the developer behind the Twyn Hywel Energy Park in Caerphilly.
The event provided an opportunity for businesses and charities local to Caerphilly, Rhondda and Gwent to meet with the company’s shortlisted civil engineering contractors to pitch their services as part of the multimillion-pound investment into Caerphilly. Bute Energy is working with Big Issue Recruit, King’s Trust, and Coleg y Cymoedd to provide skills, training, and job opportunities for local people.
Bute Energy is developing a £3bn investment for Wales to develop a family of energy parks which will create 2,000 jobs and invest up to £20m every year into communities nearest their energy parks. The company is committed to ensuring that local people, communities, and businesses directly benefit from the investment through jobs, skills and opportunities.
Twyn Hywel is the first of Bute’s energy parks to receive consent from planning authorities. The 14 wind turbine development could generate enough energy to power 81,000 homes by 2027. The project is expected to create hundreds of jobs directly and through the supply chain, and will generate a community investment fund of almost £700,000 every year for 40 years.
Bute Energy has said the community investment delivered through Twyn Hywel and other energy parks will transform the benefits and opportunities that the renewable energy industry provides to communities, creating a positive, lasting legacy in partnership with local communities.
Commenting, Community Investment and Communications Director Catryn Newton said: “At Bute Energy, we’re doing everything possible to unlock every single opportunity our investment in onshore wind provides for the benefit of local people, businesses, and services.
“The success of today’s event shows the strength of the local supply chain here in Caerphilly and RhCT and is proof of the interest in the opportunities to a contribute towards Wales’ journey towards clean energy. Our thanks goes to the 70 businesses and services who joined us in Ystrad Mynach.
“Alongside our financial investment, our partnership with Big Issue Recruit, local colleges and charities will provide exciting and real opportunities to create a positive lasting legacy for people in Caerphilly and beyond.”
Managing Director at Big Issue Recruit Stuart Greenway added: “For more than 30 years, the Big Issue has created opportunities for people who face barriers to work, earn, learn and thrive.
“Big Issue Recruit aims to support people into sustainable jobs – a goal shared by candidates and our employer partners, like Bute Energy, who want to get local people from all walks of life embarking on long-term careers at their energy parks.
“We’re excited to bring this approach to Caerphilly and connect people with the brilliant local employer that is Bute Energy and their state-of-the-art energy park at Twyn Hywel.”
Commenting, Matthew Tucker, Chair Caerphilly Business Club said: “Twyn Hywel Energy Park is an exciting new development for Caerphilly and south east Wales.
“Investment in renewable energy represents a huge opportunity for local business, and developers like Bute Energy have an opportunity to transform future prospects for Welsh business.
“The attendance at today’s event shows the opportunities available for businesses – whether that’s catering, security, transport and logistics, accommodation or equipment hire, there are countless opportunities that can help grow and diversity opportunities for local businesses.”
