The Moel Chwa Energy Park sits within a Pre-Assessed Area for large-scale onshore wind energy according to the Welsh Government’s National Development Framework, Future Wales: The National Plan 2040. It is also identified as an area suitable for onshore wind development within Conwy County Borough Council’s Renewable Energy Assessment, and has also previously had an application for a wind farm, comprising 11 turbines and associated infrastructure, granted back in 2011.

This, in conjunction with our initial technical assessments and surveys, indicates to us that the site provides a clear opportunity to deliver clean, sustainable wind energy which will contribute towards local and national renewable energy production targets.

Bute Energy is seeking to deliver an Energy Park which includes up to 12 wind turbines and associated infrastructure, with an estimated maximum generating capacity of 79.2 MW. This will be able to provide sustainable, cleaner power for approximately 51,960 homes.

In addition to the Energy Park, Bute Energy has a connection agreement in place with National Grid at a proposed new substation close to Gwyddelwern, approximately 7km from the site. It is proposed that the connection to the electricity grid is relayed by an overhead line (OHL). The OHL would be made up of wood poles, which would blend more sympathetically into the local landscape.

Generating clean, sustainable electricity through onshore wind can be done without creating any harmful emissions, whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with local, national and international targets and in response to the declared climate emergency.

Onshore wind energy is also now the cheapest form of generating electricity, offering the potential to reduce energy costs. Reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuel-generated energy sources, such as gas and electricity, by generating renewable energy here in Wales and across the UK, will not only help to deliver greater energy security, but will also help to reduce the impact of price spikes in the global energy market.

In addition to supporting efforts to tackle the cost of living crisis, there are also no government subsidies required for the project. This means no burden to taxpayers or additions to the national debt. The project will also be subject to UK taxation, including payment of business rates.

The benefits of onshore wind projects also go beyond carbon reduction and tackling the climate emergency. Working closely with local communities, these projects can deliver significant benefits across a range of areas including community investment, support for the supply chain, employment opportunities, and skills development.

Wind energy also allows for the land to retain its current uses, such as for agricultural practices or for exercise or recreation. As we progress our proposal we will also be looking at how best we can improve and enhance wildlife habitat across the site, as well as accessibility for walkers, runners, cyclists, horse riders and more.

Our initial proposal is to deliver up to 12 turbines on the site. However, this will be subject to refinement as we get more information from our technical assessments (such as environmental impact, visual impact, noise modelling etc…) and surveys, as well as in response to feedback from consultees, stakeholders, and local residents.

We are still at a very early stage of identifying the best routes to ensure that traffic travelling to and from the site can do so safely and with minimal impact to the wider road network. The site does, however, benefit from being close to the A5, a main road route in the region. It is therefore likely that a large proportion of traffic accessing the site will use this route, helping to protect smaller rural roads from Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and other large construction vehicles.

As part of our application we will be compiling a Transport Assessment which will outline the routes which we feel would be most suitable for traffic accessing and leaving the site to use. We will also be consulting with bodies such as Conwy County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council Highways’ teams throughout the pre-application process to understand their views on our proposed routes and incorporate these into our plans.

We are also very aware that local residents will know the area far better than we do, and we would therefore welcome their views/preferences/knowledge on how best to access the site whilst minimising the impact on the wider network.

Bute Energy has a connection agreement in place with National Grid at a substation close to Gwyddelwern, approximately 7km from the site. It is proposed that the connection to the electricity grid is relayed by an overhead line (OHL).

The OHL will be made up of wood poles which will more sympathetically blend into the rural surroundings. As part of our informal and statutory consultations we will be seeking to engage with local residents along the OHL corridor to understand their views and ensure that what we are proposing generates as little impact on them as possible, whilst also being sensitive to other constraints such as local ancient woodlands, landscape features and wildlife, among other things.

As part of the preparation of our application to PEDW we will be considering the impact of the project across a range of areas, including things like the environment and visibility. Where any impacts are identified, we will seek to mitigate these as much as possible.

We will be seeking to engage with bodies like Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the National Park Authority early in our consultation to understand so that we are able to incorporate their views and feedback into our plans before submission.