Marine Energy Wales Welcomes Progress in The Crown Estate’s Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 

Today’s announcement confirms that Gwynt Glas (a joint venture between EDF Renewables UK and ESB, with DP Energy as an exclusive development partner) and Equinor, developers with a proven track record in floating offshore wind (FLOW), have been named as preferred bidders for two project development areas (PDAs) in the Celtic Sea. Each developer has been awarded the opportunity to develop up to 1.5 GW of floating offshore wind capacity. 

Wales is now well-positioned in the UK offshore wind landscape. A robust pipeline of approximately 2.5 GW of fixed-bottom offshore wind is being developed off the coast of North Wales, alongside 3.5 GW of FLOW projects in the Celtic Sea. These developments are already driving investment and job creation, and will deliver further opportunity as projects advance into construction, long-term operations and maintenance phases, particularly for local suppliers and service providers. 

The Crown Estate has also confirmed its intention to bring forward the third project site – Project Development Area 2, to realise the full 4.5 GW capacity made available through Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5. Moving forward, securing a final leaseholder for PDA 2 and signalling a future leasing round in the Celtic Sea will be essential to bolstering investor confidence in the region.  

Developers have already been progressing their proposals for over four years. With the award of preferred bidders in the Celtic Sea, regional engagement and investment is expected to accelerate as projects move toward gaining consent and final investment decisions. Construction is anticipated to begin around 2030, with completion projected in the early to mid-2030s.  

Today represents a pivotal step forward in unlocking the full potential of offshore wind in Celtic Sea, with significant opportunities for economic growth and industrial development in Wales and the wider region. The selection of experienced international developers reinforces confidence in the region’s ability to deliver offshore wind projects, leveraging existing supply chain capabilities from other industrial sectors, and utilising regional port infrastructure to support the successful deployment of these projects. 

Marine Energy Wales congratulates the successful developers on securing the rights to progress these projects, and also to the The Crown Estate for its strategic approach in enabling floating offshore wind at commercial scale, and bringing this significant regional opportunity to market. 

Marine Energy Wales, through the coordination of the Celtic Sea Developer Alliance (CSDA) has supported the development of the industry since 2021, and will continue to support collaboration between developers, government and regional stakeholders. Marine Energy Wales and the CSDA will work to ensure that the next phase of development delivers long-term social, environmental and economic benefit for communities across Wales and the wider Celtic Sea region. 

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said:  

“The establishment of floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea marks the start of a new industrial opportunity for Wales.  

 “Over the last six months, we have been working through our Task and Finish Group to ensure Wales is in the best possible position to reap the rewards from the energy transition.  

 “This is an exciting and important step in that journey, and we look forward to working with the industry, The Crown Estate and counterparts in Westminster to write the next chapter in this story.” 

Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, said:  

“This is a hugely significant moment for the clean energy industry in Wales and one which will have a positive impact for generations to come.  

“Floating offshore wind will help deliver the transition to clean energy, bring down bills for households and help secure the UK’s home-grown energy supply.  

“Increased economic growth and thousands of new well-paid jobs will come from this huge vote of confidence in Wales’ energy industry and its workforce.” 

Dan Labbad, Chief Executive of The Crown Estate, said: 

 “It’s now 25 years since we first laid the foundations for a new market for offshore wind in the UK, creating the right conditions for a new technology to establish and grow into the world-leading industry we have today.  

“The selection of EDF Renewables UK, ESB and Equinor to write the next chapter of this story in the Celtic Sea is an exciting reflection of how far we’ve come in that time, and a vote of confidence in this new technology and the long-term future of the UK market as a place to invest.  

“The Crown Estate exists to create value for our country into the long term. Coupled with our investment of up to £400 million in the supply chain, the steps we have taken to establish floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea mark a vital contribution to the UK’s energy resilience and growth, and countless opportunities for communities and businesses alike.” 

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:  

“Floating offshore wind will be transformative for economic growth in Wales and the South West, unlocking thousands of jobs in places like Port Talbot and Bristol, bolstering our energy security and delivering industrial renewal.  

“The Celtic Sea has huge untapped potential to support our mission to become clean energy superpower, so we can get energy bills down for good through our Plan for Change.” 

Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Renewables UK, said:  

“I am absolutely delighted to announce that we, together with our project partner ESB, have secured preferred Bidder status with The Crown Estate for an Agreement for Lease as part of the Round 5 Leasing Process.   

“We look forward to further developing the Gwynt Glas offshore wind farm, helping the UK maintain a market leading position in floating wind and recognising the important role that floating wind can play in the UK’s ambition towards reaching net zero.”     

Jim Dollard, Executive Director at ESB, said:  

“ESB, in partnership with our colleagues in EDFR, is delighted to have been successful in The Crown Estate Round 5 seabed allocation in the Celtic Sea.  The Celtic Sea is of strategic importance to ESB given its location adjacent to Ireland and the opportunities to develop a floating offshore project in what we believe to be an ideal area bodes well for our ambitions to develop a portfolio of floating offshore wind projects in Ireland and UK to contribute to the net zero plans for both countries as well as those of ESB.”  

Trine Borum Bojsen, Senior Vice President for Renewables Europe of Equinor, said:  

“We are delighted to be given this opportunity in the Celtic Sea. The UK is a core strategic market for Equinor and a market where we have more than a decade’s experience in offshore wind. The seabed lease offers the scalability and timing flexibility we seek and is a long-term option for Equinor’s renewables portfolio. We believe that the deeper waters in the Celtic Sea have good future potential for floating wind which will play an important role in unlocking the UK’s journey towards net zero.” 

Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive of British Ports Association, said:  

“UK ports play a vital role in the UK’s offshore wind industry, supporting the deployment and operation of windfarms that have become a mainstay of our energy transition.  

“Floating offshore wind opens up an exciting new frontier, with new opportunities to invest in the vital facilities that will be needed to support this emerging sector, with new jobs and opportunities through the supply chain along the way.  

“It’s great to see experienced developers taking forward these projects in the Celtic Sea, and we look forward to working with them and The Crown Estate to ensure the region’s ports are ready to play their part.” 

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