Major boost to green energy as £600m invested in Welsh companies

We’re thrilled to announce that Bute Energy have received a landmark investment which will unlock our green energy plans for Wales.  

 The £600m investment in green energy projects announced today [26 February 2025] has been described as “a vote of confidence” in the Welsh and UK governments’ growth plans.   

Global renewables investor Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), who have supported our ambitions from the very beginning, will take a significant minority equity stake in both onshore wind developer Bute Energy and our sister company and grid developer Green GEN Cymru.    

This represents an industry-leading investment which could see our company become the UK’s largest independent generator of renewable energy by 2030.  

Hitting green energy targets

Our plans are a direct response to the Welsh Government’s target for 100% of the nation’s annual electricity consumption to come from renewable sources by 2035.  We’re aiming to meet 25% of this target while also contributing up to 18% of the new UK Government’s target of doubling onshore wind by 2030.  

The Welsh Government also has a target of at least 1.5 GW of renewable energy capacity to be locally-owned by 2035, keeping its benefits in Wales.  We’re immensely proud that 25% of our industry-leading Community Benefit Fund will be made available to deliver community-owned, smaller scale energy projects. These will be gifted to community organisations, providing an income stream that will support vital services in the communities nearest our family of energy parks.  

Green energy job opportunities

The Welsh and UK governments have put inward investment, leveraged through renewables, at the centre of their plans to create jobs and generate economic growth. The deal announced today will create new job opportunities and equip young people with skills vital for the renewable energy sector.   

The investment will enable us to deliver on our plans, linked with our recently launched Net Zero Skills strategy. Our family of wind energy parks stands to create up to 2,000 jobs and an industry-leading social value standard which will enable our contracted suppliers to give back to the local community through things like job opportunities, further investment or even giving their time to offer their expertise and upskilling.   

Renewables industry collaboration – giving back to the community

Collaboration is at the heart of our approach to working with the wider renewable energy and sustainability industry.  We recognise that in order to equip people with the right skills to deliver the nation’s infrastructure we cannot do it alone.   

Our Social Value Standard requires that 2% of the value of our project contracts be reinvested into the local communities where we operate. 

A number of our suppliers, including communications agencies, planners and research companies, have signed up to this standard.  We’re already seeing great examples of meaningful community benefit.