The Welsh government has granted consent for the country’s first floating wind farm being developed by Blue Gem Wind, the joint venture between TotalEnergies and Simply Blue Group.
The project Erebus is located approximately 40km off the Pembrokeshire coastline and will house seven 14 MW turbines on Principal Power’s WindFloat floating platforms, providing enough energy to power 93,000 homes.
The JV is currently on target to begin operating the 100 MW project in 2026. The project is part of the first phase of a 4 GW renewable energy development in the Celtic Sea, enough power for 4m homes by 2035, with the region assessed to have the economic potential to accommodate up to an additional 20GW by 2045.
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.”
