Cork-based DP Energy has unveiled plans for a 300 MW floating wind farm in the Celtic Sea.
Located between the West Wales and South West of England coastline, the project is said to stay true to its Celtic origins by adopting the name Gwynt Glas, Welsh for blue wind. According to DP Energy, the floating wind farm would generate enough renewable energy to supply up to 300,000 homes.
DP Energy said it has been laying the foundations for this project and its broader Celtic Sea aspirations for several years and welcomed the announcement from The Crown Estate in March 2021 that it was commencing work to design and deliver a new leasing opportunity for early commercial-scale floating wind projects in this seabed area.
Simon De Petro, CEO of DP Energy, commented: “Floating wind technology is on the cusp of being one of the key renewable technologies for the future. The industry now needs to rapidly scale-up if we are to succeed in delivering the gigawatts of green energy required to meet our climate action goals. Gwynt Glas is not only significant to the environmental solution, but also a pathway to much needed economic regeneration for the UK, in particular coastal regions.”
Site research and detailed studies have been underway for some time, resulting in the identification of an area of interest encompassing some 1,500 sq km. DP Energy has started engagement with key stakeholders and is commencing wide consultation with all interested parties for the offshore area, which is approximately 70 km from the shore. The company has also established and is expanding, a UK team based at its office in Pembroke Dock to manage Gwynt Glas and its wider Welsh and UK ambitions.
