Final site progressing for Round 5 as Ocean Winds enters agreement for lease for floating wind farm in the Celtic Sea

Ocean Winds, the 50-50 joint venture between EDPR and ENGIE, has entered into an agreement for lease with The Crown Estate for a 1.5GW floating offshore wind project in the Celtic Sea.

This milestone marks the latest boost for the UK’s clean energy transition and provides the potential for new economic growth across the region.  

Ocean Winds is a global leader in floating technology and delivered the world’s first semi-submersible floating wind farm, WindFloat Atlantic, in Portugal in 2020. It also has a proven track record of delivery of fixed bottom offshore wind in the UK including Moray East and Moray West. 

In November, Ocean Winds was selected as preferred supplier for the site in the Celtic Sea following a direct award process in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. It will join Equinor and Gwynt Glas - a joint venture between EDF power solutions and ESB - in progressing the development of some of the world’s largest floating wind farms, generating enough energy to power over four million homes. 

Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5

Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 presents a generational opportunity to establish a new market for floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, bringing with it a wealth of new opportunities for jobs and economic growth within communities across Wales, South-West England and beyond.

The three sites, which lie off the coasts of South Wales and South-West England, each have a capacity of up to 1.5GW. Full delivery of these sites could support the creation of more than 5,000 new jobs and deliver a £1.4 billion boost to the UK economy.

Next steps

Ocean Winds will now focus on developing its project designs, delivering onshore and offshore site surveys, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), public engagement and securing planning consents.

Once these initial requirements have been completed, it can apply to obtain a lease from The Crown Estate to build and operate the wind farm, which could be operational by the mid-2030s.

Ocean Winds will be subject to the same industry-leading contractual commitments within its agreement for lease as Equinor and Gwynt Glas, delivering a range of social, economic and environmental measures over the lifetime of their projects. 

For instance, communities will benefit from a commitment to ensure at least 3.5% of all new workers involved in development of the projects are apprentices, and a minimum of 10% of all new workers aged 19-24 when first engaged on the projects will not currently be in education, employment or training.

Further details of the plans to support local communities and unlock these new onshore opportunities will be set out in due course by the developers as they build out their project teams and define their development schedules in more detail.

Julia Rose, Head of Offshore Wind at The Crown Estate, said: “Round 5 is such an exciting opportunity to establish an innovative new technology at commercial scale in the UK, supporting many new jobs whilst also contributing to our national energy security and clean energy transition.

“Ocean Winds entering into an agreement for lease for their site in the Celtic Sea is a significant moment and testament to the attractiveness of the UK’s world-leading offshore wind sector. We’re delighted they have achieved this milestone and look forward to working closely with them as they begin their development stage.”

Adam Morrison, UK Country Manager at Ocean Winds said: “Signing the Agreement for Lease for the Celtic Sea site demonstrates our commitment to the development of commercial scale floating offshore wind in the UK. Over the coming years we will begin early-stage development work, engaging with local stakeholders to identify opportunities to deliver lasting benefits to our local communities whilst supporting the UK’s energy security and net zero objectives.”

Michael Shanks, Minister for Energy, said: “This is a big step forward, not just for the Celtic Sea, but for Britain’s clean energy future. We’re seeing real momentum behind floating offshore wind and we're backing an industry where the UK has the expertise to lead.

"This project will mean new skilled jobs and opportunities for communities across Wales and the South West of England. Offshore wind is the backbone of a secure energy system, and today’s milestone shows we’re getting on with the job - investment, jobs and clean, homegrown power that we control."

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans said: "This agreement marks another major step forward in our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. Ocean Winds joining Equinor and Gwynt Glas in the Celtic Sea demonstrates continued investor confidence in Wales. These projects will create thousands of skilled jobs and help secure our energy independence for generations to come."