EDF Renewables, one of the UK’s leading renewable energy companies, has announced a joint venture partnership with international renewable project developer DP Energy to generate up to one gigawatt (GW) of low carbon green energy in the Celtic Sea. The project is likely to span English and Welsh waters.
The floating offshore wind project, called ‘Gwynt Glas’, will provide power for approximately 927,400 homes. This will contribute a significant part of the Crown Estate’s ambitions for four GW of capacity in the Celtic Sea as announced in October 2021.
Work including identification of a refined area of search, and detailed constraint studies for the proposed location of the project, are already underway. An area of interest encompassing some 1,500 square kilometres (km) has been identified, approximately 70km from the shore, with initial remote aerial surveys for marine mammal and birds taking place since Spring 2021. The project team will be consulting with key stakeholders and interested parties in the coming weeks to refine the proposed site location.
EDF Renewables UK head of offshore wind, Scott Sutherland, said “This is a great start to 2022 for us and we are very pleased to announce this partnership with DP Energy. We firmly believe Gwynt Glas will be a catalyst for further supply chain growth across the UK which is something we as a company are very supportive of.
“We will use our experience in offshore wind to help bring opportunities for local, regional and national companies on this project and on others, such as our Blyth floating project and the two we are bidding for in the ScotWind process.
“Floating offshore wind is an exciting new technology and will bring much needed inward investment which can regenerate coastal economies and communities.”
Simon De Pietro, CEO of DP Energy said: “DP Energy’s 30-year approach to renewable project development puts the environment and local community front and centre. In our partners, we look for organisations that are as committed as we are to combating climate change.
“With EDF Renewables UK we have found a strong ally to develop Gwynt Glas, who place strong emphasis on capturing the regional supply chain and local community opportunity, alongside protecting our environment.
“Each member of the DP Energy UK team based in Pembroke Dock was born and raised in Wales and are passionate about supporting the growth of a new energy sector that can sustain skilled, well-paid jobs for future generations in coastal regions, in Wales and in the South West of England.”
