Centre planned for green skills

New skills will be taught, including fitting solar panels to homes

A new centre that will train around 1,300 people a year to install green energy technologies, such as solar panels, is to open.

The British Gas Green Skills Centre in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, will help the assembly government deliver energy efficiency measures to 40,000 homes.

It will be used to train the company's new staff - including 100 long term unemployed annually - and its current workforce in renewable technologies.

It said the centre was a UK first.

The company said the centre - due to open later this year - would help drive regeneration in the Heads of the Valleys area, which has higher than average levels of social deprivation.

In particular, it said it will help the assembly government deliver energy efficiency measures to 40,000 homes, including the installation of large volumes of microgeneration and renewable technologies, as part of its Heads of the Valleys Low Carbon programme.

"Achieving this goal would create the largest low carbon zone of its kind in Europe," it added.

Our vision is to transform Blaenau Gwent into a centre for 21st Century learning, training and skills

Councillor Des Hillman, leader of Blaenau Gwent council

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said the investment would create a centre of excellence in skills training for the "rapidly growing green energy sector".

"The Heads of the Valleys was the crucible of the world's first energy revolution, which was based on fossil fuels and the assembly government is now working to ensure this area is at the forefront of the future energy revolution promoting renewable sustainable green energy and low carbon housing," he said.

"Extremely ambitious targets have been set for the low carbon zone where the ultimate aim is to reduce fuel poverty and attract investment to develop the highest concentration of renewable energy businesses in Europe.

"It is against these targets and this context that the importance of this unique training centre for green skills can be fully appreciated."

'Supporting communities'

Phil Bentley, managing director of British Gas, said the skills centre was "unique" and would deliver economic, environmental and social benefits.

"British Gas employs over 1,500 people in south east Wales and our investment here is a clear indication that we are committed to supporting the communities that we work and operate in," he said.

British Gas is already working with a number of local social housing providers to install renewable technologies into properties that have been identified as being energy inefficient.

Councillor Des Hillman, leader of Blaenau Gwent council, said: "Our vision is to transform Blaenau Gwent into a centre for 21st Century learning, training and skills.

"This is one of the reasons that the Green Skills Training Centre - a first in Wales and the UK - is joining us as part of our Heads of the Valleys regeneration drive."