1 week Ago By [email protected] (Lewis Clarke)
Plans for colossal floating wind farms off the Welsh and West Country coasts are gathering pace, and Bristol, Plymouth and Falmouth are poised to play a starring role. The Crown Estate has confirmed the leasing process for three sites in the Celtic Sea is entering its final stages, with shortlisted bidders preparing to anchor their hopes in a high-stakes auction this spring. The move marks a key milestone in Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5, a process aimed at unlocking up to 4.
5 gigawatts of renewable energy—enough to power more than four million homes. The initiative also holds the potential to spark a £1.4 billion economic boost and create over 5,000 jobs through the development of supply chains and port infrastructure.
Seven ports have been identified by all shortlisted developers as potential “integration ports” for turbine assembly and deployment. These include Pembroke Port (Port of Milford Haven), Port of Swansea, Port Talbot, Port of Bristol, Port of Plymouth, Falmouth Port, and Port of Brest. These locations could host turbine towers reaching up to 300 metres high—roughly the height of The Shard in London—mounted on floating platforms the size of football pitches.
The auction for site rights will take place later this spring, with winning bidders expected to sign agreements for lease in the summer. Once contracts are awarded, developers will begin detailed discussions with individual ports, potentially unlocking transformative investment for coastal communities. The Crown Estate has invested heavily in de-risking the process, including conducting marine surveys and partnering with the National Energy System Operator to pre-design grid connections.
A new £50 million supply chain accelerator programme is also under way to support early-stage port and supply infrastructure development across the UK. Gus Jaspert, managing director of marine at The Crown Estate, said: “The advent of floating offshore wind offers a generational opportunity for the UK to be at the forefront of an exciting new global industry. Developing this new technology in the Celtic Sea will open up transformational opportunities for new jobs, investment and growth across Wales, South West England and beyond.
” Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: “The UK is a world leader when it comes to floating offshore wind, and by unlocking the untapped potential of the Celtic Sea we will reap the benefits of economic growth and thousands of jobs in Wales and the South West, delivering on our Plan for Change.” Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds added: “The UK is open for business, and this leasing round will help unlock vital new investment in our world-leading floating offshore wind industry to create jobs and prosperity in our coastal communities.” Rebecca Evans, cabinet secretary for economy, energy and planning in Wales, said: “Floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea will not only advance our clean energy goals but create valuable jobs and investment across Wales’ coastal communities.
” This latest leasing round is expected to pave the way for a broader expansion in the Celtic Sea, with The Crown Estate planning to bring a further 20–30 gigawatts of offshore wind to market by 2030. Up to 12 gigawatts of this could be located in the Celtic Sea alone..
