PfR secures planning consent for wind turbines at Oakdale Business Park

Published: 07/10/2011

PRESS RELEASE         7TH October 2011

PfR secures planning permission for its first project in Wales

Renewable energy developer Partnerships for Renewables (PfR) has been granted planning permission by Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC) for two wind turbines on land at Oakdale Business Park in South Wales.
The turbines will provide enough electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 2,400 homes - although it is hoped they will provide reduced price electricity directly to local businesses.
Jerry Sturman, Regional Manager at Partnerships for Renewables, commented:
“This is great news for the local area and Caerphilly County Borough Council.   This site is exactly the type of development the First Minister has indicated he wants to see closing the gap towards meeting Wales’ renewable energy targets– a smaller size wind farm utilising brownfield land.
“We believe the turbines will become a feature that local people and businesses can be proud to host in their community.  As landowner, the Council will receive a share of the revenue generated from this development and this will naturally be fed back into the area through the Council’s activities.”
CCBC hopes the turbines will act as a flagship for sustainability, helping attract more businesses and jobs to the area.
Councillor Ron Davies, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Countryside at CCBC, said:
"We welcome this exciting development that reflects our commitment to sustainability and finding cleaner, greener ways to produce energy.  The news is also a major boost for Oakdale Business Park, as this former colliery site has been transformed over recent years into a flagship 21st Century business plateau and these turbines will help underline its strategic importance in the South Wales Valleys."
The turbines are expected to be constructed in later 2012/early 2013. There will also be a community benefit fund associated with the development which will contribute £12,500 (index-linked) every year for the life of the project.  Representatives of the local community will decide how this is spent towards projects that benefit the local area and we will be consulting with the community to decide how the fund should be managed.
For more information about the project please visit www.pfr.co.uk/Oakdale
* Please note: The environmental benefit figures are based on: two, 2.5 megawatt turbines with a total installed capacity of 5MW, operating with a 25% capacity factor; average household electricity use of 4,602kWh per annum; and the electricity generated displacing electricity generated from CCGT / average fuel mix - approximately 430gCO2/kWh’

-Ends-

For further information please contact:

Jo Reeves, Communications Manager, Partnerships for Renewables
Tel: 07540 688 031 or email: jo.reeves@pfr.co.uk

Editor’s notes:
• Partnerships for Renewables is a Carbon Trust Enterprise set up primarily to partner with public sector bodies to explore renewable energy potential on their land. This means that all development costs are met by Partnerships for Renewables and their partners do not have to divert any funds away from frontline services. Caerphilly County Borough Council will receive a percentage of the profits from the electricity generated by the wind turbines.
• Partnerships for Renewables is owned by Carbon Trust Enterprises, the InfraRed Environmental Infrastructure Fund (formerly the HSBC Environmental Infrastructure Fund) and OPTrust Private Markets Group.
• As well as establishing partnerships with various local authorities and other landowners around the UK, Partnerships for Renewables is working with a number of public sector bodies to promote and develop renewable energy development, such as the Forestry Commission on a joint venture scheme for the public forest estate; HM Prison Service; British Waterways; and the Environment Agency.
For more information on PfR please visit www.pfr.co.uk

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