Council welcomes Bridgend-based company’s involvement in Blue Eden project

Bridgend County Borough Council has welcomed the news that a Bridgend-based company is leading the ground-breaking renewable energy Blue Eden project in Swansea.

The £1.7 billion project announced today includes a newly-designed tidal lagoon, featuring state-of-the-art underwater turbines generating 320 megawatts of renewable energy from the 9.5km structure. 

The lagoon is part of the larger proposed Blue Eden project that's being led by Bridgend-based DST Innovations and a number of business partners, with support from Swansea Council and Associated British Ports.

Made possible by funding from the private sector, the innovative and economy-boosting Blue Eden will be delivered in three phases over 12 years.

The project also includes a high-tech battery manufacturing plant, a battery storage facility for renewable energy, an oceanic and climate change research centre, floating eco-homes anchored in the water and a floating solar array anchored in the Queen’s dock area.

Blue Eden which will be sited along an extensive area of land and water, to the south of the Prince of Wales Dock in the SA1 area of Swansea, will create over 2,500 permanent jobs and support a further 16,000 jobs across Wales and the UK, while creating additional jobs during its construction.

Renewable energy produced on site will power the entire Blue Eden development, including businesses and a mixed development of affordable housing, assisted living areas and luxury apartments. Due to the innovation on-site, each home will have up to 20 years' renewable energy and heat provision included with the sale of the properties.

Tony Miles, Co-founder and Chief Executive of DST Innovations, said: "Blue Eden is an opportunity to create a template for the world to follow - utilising renewable energy and maximising new technologies and thinking to develop not only a place to live and work, but also to thrive."

The project has been developed following discussions based on a vision put forward by a regional task force led by Swansea Council.

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: "We are aware now more than ever of the need to develop renewable energy supplies to provide sustainable and affordable electricity to families and businesses.

"Blue Eden will put Swansea and Wales at the cutting-edge of global renewable energy innovation, helping create thousands of well-paid jobs, significantly cut our carbon footprint and further raise Swansea's profile across the world as a place to invest. 

"I'm delighted that an international consortium led by a Welsh company has developed our Dragon Energy Island vision into a ground-breaking project that delivers so many benefits and builds on the council's ambition to become a net zero city by 2050.

"This project truly is a game-changer for Swansea, its economy and renewable energy in the UK, and crucially it can be delivered without the need for government subsidies." 

Subject to planning consent, Blue Eden work on site could start by early 2023.

Welcoming the involvement of Bridgend-based DST Innovations, Bridgend County Borough Council Leader Huw David said: “This is great news with a Bridgend-based company leading the proposal. We’re excited to see how this pioneering project develops and the positive impacts it will have both locally and within the wider region.”