Green Economy Wales have launched their second edition of their brand-new Celtic Sea dedicated hub
The objective of the dedicated hub is to showcase the opportunities, innovators and initiatives within the offshore floating wind sector.
It kicks off with a message from Phil Johnston, Business Development Manager at Celtic Sea Power, who paid close attention to balancing pace with preparation for Celtic Sea FLOW, where he states that nationally important challenges need to be considered in the round with consensus and strategic direction.
Next up is an exclusive interview with Preseli Pembrokeshire’s Conservative MP Stephen Crabb, also the chair of The Welsh Affairs Committee, who opened up about the strides being made in the Celtic Sea. He talked about challenges linked to consenting, grid issues and port infrastructure complications, along with sharing his aspirations for what lies ahead.
Green Economy Wales also spoke with Guto Owen, Co-Ordinator of HyCymru, the Wales Hydrogen Trade Association, about the opportunities for hydrogen because of offshore floating wind developments in the Celtic Sea.
What does a floating offshore wind future offer our supply chains? Green Economy Wales spoke with Helen K Thomas, Senior Supply Chain Manager for offshore wind at RWE, Jay Shepperd of Marine Energy Wales, Phil Johnston, Business Development Manager at Celtic Sea Power, Simon Cheeseman from the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and Nick Revell, Managing Director at Ledwood Mechanical Engineering to find out.
Also, how can leading academics help shape innovation challenges in the Celtic Sea? Green Economy Wales spoke with Prof. Ian Masters at Swansea University, as well as Jay Shepperd of Marine Energy Wales to find out.
Former First Minister Carwyn Jones held a very special Digital Discussion with Scott Harper, Director of Floventis Energy, who discussed the details of how the Celtic Sea can harness green energy, the significance of the Celtic Freeport Bid, the role that floating offshore wind can play in our future and the specific obstacles ahead to move both infrastructure and technology forward.
Chief Commercial Officer of QED Naval, Keith Murray, spoke about discovering the supply chain opportunities within the Celtic Sea, with the business having an objective to open an office in Wales and work with manufacturers and in particular steel workers in the region, to establish a global partnership.
The same thinking applies to Sander van Helvoort, Director of Renewable Energy at Dutch company FibreMax BV, who have been producing the world’s strongest synthetic cables and supplying them to the offshore renewables industry since 2009.
Green Economy Wales spoke with David Harrison, a Senior Geoscientist at Geo-4D, about the role of geological, geophysical and geotechnical survey data, within the development of floating offshore wind.
Completing the interview series of discovering the supply chain opportunities within the Celtic Sea is Andy Brown, Drilling Manager at Stockton Drilling, who discussed the process of laying cables from land to offshore.
Deputy Project Director at Floventis Energy, Vicky Coy, provided a special insight into her career journey and a look behind the development of Llyr 1 & 2 floating offshore wind farms In the Celtic Sea, each an exciting step in the drive for critical change in the UK’s energy mix.
Businesses interested in bidding for work in the floating offshore wind industry are invited to register to Meet the Buyer at a free online supply chain event being hosted by Business Wales, Sell2Wales and Floventis Energy on Friday 30 June. A joint venture between SBM Offshore, global specialists in floating offshore energy and renewable energy project development company Cierco, Floventis were awarded the agreement for lease for the Llŷr developments in the Celtic Sea by the Crown Estate in July 2021, subject to a Habitats Regulation Assessment.
The delivery of the Celtic Freeport is one of Neath Port Talbot Council’s Rainbow Coalition for 2023/24, which is a must-read feature as they promise to create 16,000 jobs in South West Wales over the coming years.
Recently, the UK Government confirmed a £160m Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS) for port infrastructure, but many across the sector suggest more funding will be needed to help achieve the sizable offshore wind targets. Listen to audio interviews on Green Economy Wales from Stephen Crabb MP, who explained the current status of FLOWMIS and its impact on Welsh ports and David Jones, Stakeholder Manager at Blue Gem Wind, who explained the scale of the solution needed within our ports to build and deploy infrastructure.
Looking to the future, The Crown Estate’s role will continue to be crucial as the UK seeks to meet its ambitious renewable energy targets. As a catalyst for change, it will be instrumental in driving innovation, facilitating partnerships and ultimately, unlocking the vast renewable potential of the Celtic Sea. Green Economy Wales recently caught up with Rebecca Williams, Director of The Crown Estate in Wales about the Marine Energy Wales Conference which recently took place.
Specialist survey vessels are set to embark on a series of studies in the Celtic Sea, after The Crown Estate signed new contracts as part of a programme to gather valuable data which could help support and accelerate the development of new floating wind farms. Read about what Nicola Clay, Head of New Ventures for Marine at The Crown Estate had to say about the value of these surveys.
Finally, as the development of large-scale floating offshore wind power in the Celtic Sea is rapidly approaching, Celtic Sea Power recently hosted the Celtic Sea Summit, an event bringing together some of the industry’s key figures, with the event concluding with a Q&A forum addressing the challenges of FLOW development.
