£1.7 Billion Blue Eden Project for Swansea

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• £1.7 Billion Blue Eden Project for Swansea

09 November 2021

A £1.7 billion project creating thousands of well-paid jobs and placing Wales at the forefront of renewable energy innovation has been announced by an international consortium.

The ground-breaking project proposed for Swansea's waterfront will include 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 60,000 square metre manufacturing plant to make high-tech batteries for renewable energy storage
• A battery facility that will store the renewable energy produced at Blue Eden and power the site. If constructed now, it would be the world's largest facility of its kind
• A 72,000 square metre floating solar array anchored in the Queen's dock area, helping offset CO2 emissions by an estimated two million kilogrammes a year. This would be the UK's largest facility of its kind, with potential for expansion
• A 94,000 square metre data centre storing, processing and providing network capabilities for the critical services needed in modern day operations. Entirely powered by an uninterruptable renewable energy power supply, this would be the UK's first centre of its kind 
• An oceanic and climate change research centre that will become a hub for global excellence and innovation
• Floating dome structures that will become cultural and scientific centres to be enjoyed by all
• Residential waterfront homes for 5,000 people 
• Approximately 150 floating, highly energy-efficient eco-homes anchored in the water

Supporting the Local Community and the Nation

Blue Eden 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.

All the project's buildings and facilities, including the eco-homes, will be situated alongside the lagoon and will utilise and enhance the existing land in the area.

Blue Eden 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.

Setting the Precedent

The announcement comes as world leaders gather in Glasgow for the COP26 summit to tackle climate change.

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." 

Julie James, Member of the Senedd for Swansea West, said it “will include a tidal lagoon, featuring state-of-the-art underwater turbines generating 320 megawatts of renewable energy.

“Swansea has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world, and this scheme will allow us to utilise the energy it provides to support our planet for future generations in a world-leading project we can all be proud of. Renewable energy produced on-site will power the entire development, including businesses and a mixed development of affordable housing, assisted living areas and luxury apartments."

Andrew Harston, Director of Wales and Short Sea Ports for ABP, said: “If delivered alongside ABP's own vision for South Wales, the Blue Eden Project could put the region at the very forefront of decarbonisation and digitalisation in Wales and at the vanguard of the energy transition journey and zero-carbon living in the developed world."

In a joint statement, Henry Dixon, Chair of the Tidal Range Alliance, and Simon Hamlyn, Chief Executive of the British Hydropower Association, said:

"Alongside other schemes along the west coast of the UK, tidal range power generation has the potential to supply 5 to 10 per cent of the country's energy needs, reliably and predictably, unlike other intermittent renewables such as wind and solar."

Subject to planning consent, Blue Eden work on-site could start by early 2023. Take a look at Hydro Power Installers in our Spotted Cow Media Business Directory.

Picture: a graphic representation of the planned development.

Article written by Bailey Sparkes | Published 09 November 2021

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