Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind

The Government has set an ambition to deliver up to 5GW of floating wind by 2030, with rapid expansion anticipated thereafter.

The Crown Estate are committed to helping the UK achieve its net zero ambitions. To support this, they are delivering a new leasing opportunity in the Celtic Sea for the first generation of commercial-scale floating offshore windfarms – unlocking up to 4GW of new clean energy capacity by 2035, kick-starting industry in the region, and providing power to almost four million homes. 

The Crown Estate will be inviting full commercial scale projects up to 1GW, which may be developed in a phased or ‘stepping stone’ approach. Recognising the need to develop the UK supply chain and supporting infrastructure for this nascent technology, this approach is deliberately intended to provide opportunities for growth and investment. This will also facilitate the co-ordination of the necessary infrastructure, such as ports and grid connections, all of which are key to the sustainable development of the UK floating wind sector over the long term. 

This leasing opportunity will provide the foundation for greater capacity in the future and help establish an exciting new industrial sector for the UK, creating opportunities for significant new investment in jobs, skills and infrastructure for the communities onshore. 

The Welsh Government granted consent for Wales’ first floating windfarm located 40km off the coast of Pembrokeshire in March 2023. The project is part of a move away from an energy system dependent on expensive fossils fuels and will contribute to the Welsh Government’s energy targets and improving our energy security.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said:

We are ambitious for the floating offshore wind sector in Wales – we believe it has the potential to deliver sustainable sources of energy into the future and it is also a once-in-a-generation opportunity to open up new markets for local suppliers and to create thousands of high-quality jobs in Wales.

More information about the leasing opportunity can be found by visiting the Crown Estates website: Floating offshore wind | Floating offshore wind (thecrownestate.co.uk)

Also by emailing Pembrokeshire County Council at BusinessSupport@Pembrokeshire.gov.uk