The Celtic Sea Cluster has launched its new Regional Strategy, outlining how Wales and South West England can maximise the economic benefits of floating offshore wind technology, in line with the forthcoming Celtic Sea leasing process being delivered by The Crown Estate. The strategy will allow the region's stakeholders to ensure their activities are aligned and can achieve their common objectives.
The Celtic Sea Cluster is led by its founding partners, Welsh Government, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, Celtic Sea Power, Marine Energy Wales and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.
The Cluster's ambition is to establish the Celtic Sea region as a world leader in floating offshore wind by 2030, laying the foundations for a new sustainable long-term industry. This will help the UK to be at the forefront of the green industrial revolution as it accelerates its progress towards net zero.
Floating wind in the Celtic Sea will create a completely new industry in the region, bringing new high value jobs and export opportunities and strengthening the local economy. It will build on existing regional capabilities in offshore renewables and enable access to a fast-growing global market.
The Regional Strategy promises to:
- Galvanise the regional supply chains;
- Provide a single voice to engage with governments, regulators, and project developer;
- Find innovative ways to accelerate deployment; and
- Work with Celtic Sea users to protect the onshore and offshore environment.
Vaughan Gething MS, Welsh Government Minister for Economy, said:
"The opportunity to deliver 4GW of floating wind in the Celtic Sea by 2035, with potential to grow to 20GW by 2045, is a massive undertaking. Success requires collaboration and strategic development to enable the deployment of sustainable, green, energy generation. Working across borders we can play to each other's strengths, identify gaps, and seek to maximise strategic benefit to the regions we support.
"The Celtic Sea Regional Strategy will provide the direction necessary to enable Wales and South West England to collaborate and maximise the huge economic opportunity offered by floating offshore wind. A single pan region strategy ensures individual local plans can focus on harnessing existing local strengths, targeting opportunities to galvanise supply chains and find innovative ways to accelerate deployment which collectively will achieve the strategy objectives."
The full strategy can be found here.
The Cluster has over 240 members who include developers and supply chain companies with an interest in floating wind in the Celtic Sea. The Celtic Sea Cluster is free to join through the website www.CelticSeaCluster.com
Notes to editor:
- The Celtic Sea Cluster Board was established Welsh Government and Cornwall & Isle of Scilly LEP supported by Marine Energy Wales, Cornwall Council owned Wave Hub Development Services Ltd (trading as Celtic Sea Power) and Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult. The Board has agreed Terms of Reference and identified enabling actions to be delivered through working groups to accelerate market creation in the Celtic Sea, mobilise the regional supply chain, establish a strategy for infrastructure and help deliver the Governments Offshore Wind Sector Deal[1]. The CSC Board has received letters of association from The Crown Estate and Celtic Sea Developers Alliance (floating wind project developers) that bounds them together to deliver the enabling actions. BEIS is an observer on the Board. https://celticseacluster.com/
- Welsh Government: Wales is committed to building a green and prosperous Wales for our future generations. Welsh Government believe establishing and growing a Celtic Sea Cluster is key to unlocking economic potential and seizing the opportunity for building a vibrant industry with huge export potential
- Celtic Sea Power: Celtic Sea Power (wholly owned by Cornwall Council) is working to accelerate the industrialisation of floating offshore wind and maximize the socio-economic benefits for the people, businesses, and communities and regions of the Celtic Sea region.
- Marine Energy Wales: Marine Energy Wales brings together technology developers, the supply chain, academia and the public sector to establish Wales as a global leader in sustainable marine energy generation, making a significant contribution to a low carbon economy.
- ORE Catapult: Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult is the UK's leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy. We will play a key role in delivering the UK's net zero targets by accelerating the creation and growth of UK companies in the offshore renewable energy sector. We will use our unique facilities and research and engineering capabilities to bring together industry and academia and drive innovation in renewable energy.
[1] Sector Deal, between the government and the sector, agreed in March 2019 sets a target of achieving 60% UK content by 2030, including an emphasis on increasing the UK share of capital expenditure ("capex") beyond 29%.
