Blue Gem Wind has secured a marine licence for the 100MW Erebus floating wind project off Wales.
The joint venture between TotalEnergies and Simply Blue Group landed the licence following a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment process, supported by OWC, MarineSpace, ITPEnergised and Burges Salmon.
Erebus, Wales’ first planned floating wind farm, is 40km off the Pembrokeshire coast and will host seven next-generation 14MW turbines on WindFloat platforms.
Project managing director at Blue Gem Wind Mike Scott said: “The development, which will be the first floating wind farm in Wales, will play a crucial role in advancing the deployment of what will become a globally important low carbon technology.”
Consenting manager, Blue Gem Wind, Sean Evans added: “We have been working with Natural Resources Wales and other key stakeholders since 2019 to develop a test and demonstration scale project that balances the need for low carbon energy with that of the natural environment, and minimises impacts to local communities and stakeholders.
“We are delighted to have achieved this milestone for the project.”
Secretary of State for Wales David Davies said: “Wales has the potential to be a world leader in offshore wind energy, and floating technology is key to unlocking the full potential of our coastlines as it generates economic growth and highly skilled jobs.”
Erebus, named after the famous ship built in 1826 in Pembroke Dock, is due to be commissioned in 2026.