First Celtic Sea floating wind project wins planning consent
Published 13 March 2023
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The Welsh government has given permission for the first floating wind farm in the Celtic Sea, which has been identified as the UK’s main hotspot for the pioneering renewable energy technology.
Welsh ministers announced today (13 March) that developer Blue Gem Wind has been granted a Section 36 consent order to build and operate the 100MW Erebus project, which is due to be located approximately 40km off the Pembrokeshire coastline in south Wales.
Project Erebus will house a total of seven 14MW turbines on floating platforms, which Blue Gem says will generate electricity for 93,000 homes.
The permission follows a recent decision by Natural Resources Wales to award the project, which is a joint venture between TotalEnergies and Simply Blue, a marine licence.
Erebus is the first stage of a wider project to roll out 4GW of floating offshore wind farms in the Celtic Sea, which has been identified as the key location for deployment of the technology in the UK. The Crown Estate has earmarked seabed for 4GW in the Celtic Sea.
The project is due to be commissioned in 2026 and marks the first step in Blue Gem’s Celtic Sea floating wind development.
The first minister of Wales Mark Drakeford said: “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: “Erebus, which will be the first floating wind farm in Wales, will play a crucial role in advancing the deployment of what will become a globally important low carbon technology.”
Stephen Crabb MP, chair of the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee chair, said the consent means it is “more likely than ever before that Wales could be a first mover in floating offshore wind” and backed Drakeford’s call for the UK government to support Erebus.
The project is named after the Victorian Arctic exploration vessel, HMS Erebus, which was built in Pembroke Dock.
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