An onshore planning application for Celtic Sea floating offshore wind farm White Cross has been submitted.
White Cross Offshore Windfarm Limited, a joint venture between Cobra and Flotation Energy, has submitting its paperwork to North Devon Council.
The proposed 100MW White Cross floating offshore windfarm, to be located 52km off the north Devon coast, will consist of six to eight floating wind turbines.
The associated cable route has been selected based on extensive consultation and feedback.
It is proposed to make landfall at Saunton Sands, connecting to the electricity grid at East Yelland substation.
Ensuring the efficient transfer of energy to the network, a new onshore substation unit is also being proposed, close to the existing East Yelland substation.
The planning application follows the project’s offshore consent application which was submitted to the Marine Management Organisation earlier this year.
The formal consultation process is now live for both applications.
White Cross forms part of the Crown Estate’s Test and Demonstration leasing opportunity, which aims to develop and commercialise innovative, floating energy technologies within the Celtic Sea.
Acting as a key stepping stone, the White Cross floating wind project will also support the scale-up of subsequent offshore wind developments in the Celtic Sea region and beyond.
“We have been developing this site since 2020 and this consent application is a huge milestone,” said Flotation Energy projects director Al Rayner.
“On track to start generating energy in 2027, the success of White Cross and similar projects provides significant opportunities for the UK to reap the associated economic benefits whilst also tackling climate change.”
A spokesperson from Cobra added: “We are delighted to take the next step in the development of White Cross, project that aims to provide secure supply and providing sustainable energy for the UK and beyond.
“Our partnership with Flotation Energy is founded on previous floating wind success, and utilising our shared knowledge and understanding will provide significant advantage as we build an efficient and high-quality pipeline of developments.”