The Welsh Government has granted development consent for Wales’ first floating windfarm, Project Erebus, to be located 40km off the coast of Pembrokeshire.
Blue Gem Wind, the joint venture between TotalEnergies and Simply Blue Group, says it is currently on target to begin operating the 100MW Erebus project, which will comprise seven 14MW turbines on floating platforms, in 2026.
Erebus is part of the first phase of a 4GW renewable energy development in the Celtic Sea. Future phases of the development could realise an additional 20GW of renewable energy.
Welsh 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.
“The Erebus project has the potential to show the world that Wales and the Celtic Sea can deliver renewable energy alongside the sustainable management of our marine resources.
“In determining the marine license and the planning consents, the Welsh Government and our partners in Natural Resources Wales have enabled this project to move forward to apply for subsidy support from the UK government.
“I urge the UK government to do its part through the Contracts for Difference process to drive the industry forward by working with the Erebus team to secure the first floating offshore wind project in Welsh waters, bringing jobs and green energy to our communities.”
Mike Scott, project managing director at Blue Gem Wind, said: “We welcome the decision from Welsh Ministers to grant the necessary planning consents for project Erebus and have been working with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales and other key stakeholders since 2019 to develop a project that is sympathetic to the natural environment and minimises impacts to local communities and stakeholders.”