---
title: "Desktop feasibility study for community renewable energy opportunities around Twyn Hywel Energy Park"
id: "6080"
type: "post"
slug: "desktop-feasibility-study-for-community-renewable-energy-opportunities-around-twyn-hywel-energy-park"
published_at: "2026-07-01T13:13:25+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-07-01T14:00:59+00:00"
url: "https://dulas.org.uk/desktop-feasibility-study-for-community-renewable-energy-opportunities-around-twyn-hywel-energy-park/"
markdown_url: "https://dulas.org.uk/desktop-feasibility-study-for-community-renewable-energy-opportunities-around-twyn-hywel-energy-park.md"
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taxonomy_category:
  - "Consultancy"
---

# Desktop feasibility study for community renewable energy opportunities around Twyn Hywel Energy Park

| Key Facts |  |
| --- | --- |
| Client | Bute Energy |
| Project | Community renewable energy feasibility study within the Twyn Hywel Energy Park region |
| Location | Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales |
| Dulas Role | High-level GIS constraints mapping and desktop feasibility across solar PV, wind, hydroelectricity and EV charging opportunities |
| Social Value | Delivered under Bute Energy’s 2% Social Value clause, linked to Dulas’ wind monitoring services contract |
| Lead Delivery | Most of the work was carried out by our Renewable Energy Apprentice, supported by our Technical Consultant and the wider Dulas team |

**Project overview**

Bute Energy’s Twyn Hywel Energy Park is an onshore wind project located north-west of Caerphilly. The scheme is planned to include 14 wind turbines and, once operational, is expected to generate up to 93.8MW of clean energy. Alongside the energy park itself, Bute Energy has committed to creating long-term benefit for local communities through an annual community fund and wider social value commitments.

Dulas was already supporting Bute Energy through wind monitoring services. As part of its agreement to provide social value linked to that contract, Dulas offered a desktop feasibility study to help identify community renewable energy opportunities within the wider Twyn Hywel area. The aim was to move social value beyond a contractual commitment and turn it into practical, place-based insight that could help local communities understand what may be possible.

**The Challenge**

For communities looking to develop local energy projects, one of the biggest barriers is knowing where to start. Opportunities can span multiple technologies, ownership models, planning constraints and grid considerations. Without early-stage technical support, community groups may struggle to identify which sites are worth progressing, how different renewable technologies could fit together, or what information is needed to unlock further funding.

Bute Energy wanted to explore how the benefits associated with the Twyn Hywel Energy Park could extend beyond the main project, by helping local communities identify credible opportunities for future renewable energy schemes in the surrounding area.

**The Solution**

Dulas delivered a high-level GIS-based site finding and desktop feasibility study covering a 10km radius around Twyn Hywel Energy Park. The assessment drew on Dulas’ cross-technology expertise in renewable energy consultancy, including wind, solar PV, hydroelectricity, EV charging and community energy development.

The study mapped technical and environmental constraints, identified potential development areas, and assessed community buildings for rooftop solar PV and EV charging potential. It provided Bute Energy and local stakeholders with an evidence base to support future engagement, prioritisation and funding discussions.

- 84 potential ground-mounted solar PV sites were identified, representing MWs of indicative capacity subject to detailed site surveys and feasibility studies.
- 38 community and local authority buildings were reviewed for rooftop solar PV potential, with an estimated combined capacity of 896kWp.
- 31 potential wind turbine sites were identified for further investigation.
- 17 of these areas showed overlapping potential for hybrid wind and solar development.
- seven areas were flagged for further hydroelectricity investigation, subject to detailed walkover and catchment assessment.
- Community buildings with car parks were identified as potential locations for future EV charging infrastructure.

## Map Showing Site Search Area Location (courtesy of Bute Energy).

**Impact**

The feasibility study gave Bute Energy and local stakeholders a mapped pipeline of more than 100 potential community energy opportunities. While each site will require further feasibility, landowner engagement, planning review and grid assessment, the work created a practical starting point for future community-led renewable energy development in the area.

The project demonstrates how social value can be embedded into a commercial contract in a way that is directly relevant to the client, the local community and the renewable energy transition. Rather than providing a generic benefit, Dulas used its core technical expertise to deliver work that could help unlock future projects, funding routes and community engagement.

A key element of the project was the opportunity it created for apprentice development. Most of the work was carried out by Matthew Halladay, Dulas’ first renewable energy apprentice, who is studying for a BEng while gaining practical experience across renewable technologies.

The project gave Matthew hands-on experience in real-world consultancy work, including GIS-based constraints mapping, technology screening, community asset assessment and the translation of technical findings into practical recommendations. This strengthened Dulas’ ability to deliver meaningful social value not only for the client and community, but also through investment in the next generation of renewable energy professionals.

“Chris & Matthew have been fantastic supporting us with a desk top feasibility study on community energy opportunities within a 10km radius of our Twyn Hywel Energy park near Caerphilly in South Wales. The work was done quickly and adapted as we navigated what we actually needed. The local community have been really excited to see the potential mapped out and we are looking forward to continuing to work with Dulas as we narrow the 100+ potential sites to those which are most viable.

It was great to be able to use a consultant who had the expertise across all of the community technologies on offer – having knowledge of what is possible is the biggest barrier to communities in moving forward and developing community energy projects.

This piece of work was delivered for us under the 2% Social Value clause which Bute Energy places on all of its contracts. The value of the work has exceeded £7,000 in monetary terms and is invaluable to the community and will hopefully unlock further funding for community energy projects in the Caerphilly area.”

**Eluned Lewis – Community Investment Manager, Bute Energy**

By [Annika Faircloth](https://dulas.org.uk/author/dulasannika/)
Published On: July 1, 2026

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