Welsh energy producer Bute Energy has announced that it has received a landmark £600 million investment from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).
CIP will take a significant minority equity stake in both Bute Energy, which develops onshore wind projects in Wales, and Bute Energy’s sister company Green CEN Cymru, which focuses on grid development.
Ed Miliband, secretary of state for energy and climate change, called the investment a “vote of confidence in our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower”. He added: “Renewable energy will be front and centre of our clean power system, with companies like Bute Energy and Green GEN Cymru delivering the projects the UK needs to bring down energy bills, protect our energy security, and create good jobs for the future.”
Managing director of Bute Energy, Stuart George, agreed, adding: “We’re incredibly proud of our partnership with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and the opportunities this investment will provide to businesses and communities across Wales.
“This investment is a vote of confidence by one of the biggest global investors in renewable energy in Wales and in Bute Energy’s plans to deliver the single largest investment in onshore wind in Wales.”
Big plans for Bute Energy
Bute Energy is in the process of developing a network of ten onshore wind energy parks across Wales. All of these are currently in the planning system, and according to Stuart George, the company is aiming to have the cabinet secretary make decisions on six of these parks across the summer of 2025. If approved, the total capacity of these energy parks could total 1GW, with another 1GW of capacity currently waiting for planning approval.
Bute Energy has also called for an overhaul of the Welsh planning system in order to meet clean energy targets by 2030. In an open letter, George noted that the Welsh planning office was facing increasing delays, including six-month delays to new applications for large-scale Developments of National Significance. He stated: “These challenges must be addressed with urgency if we are to build at the speed and scale necessary to combat the climate crisis.”
Meanwhile, the company has also been involved in efforts to tackle the green skills gap. In November of last year, Bute Energy launched its Net Zero Skills Strategy in order to help encourage young people to enter the green workforce and fill the 25,000 green roles Wales is projected to need by 2050. The programme focuses primarily on engaging young people in schools, but also includes upskilling and training programmes through partnerships with Careers Wales and further education institutions across Wales.
