The new Welsh Government has approved its first major offshore wind project, granting consent for the Llŷr wind farm in the Celtic Sea off the Pembrokeshire coast.
Section 36 consent has been given to Cierco Energy’s test and demonstration scheme, clearing one of the last major hurdles before construction.
Around 2,000 jobs are expected to be created while the wind farm is built, according to the Welsh Government, with further skilled jobs once it is running.
First power is targeted for 2031.
Adam Price, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, said: “Major offshore wind projects such as this important scheme can be catalysts for economic growth and prosperity.”
The minister said the government would work with the company to bring high-quality jobs to Wales, which he said “directly aligns with our mission to boost productivity”.
Llŷr is not a conventional wind farm. It is a floating test and demonstration project, designed to prove the technologies that can unlock offshore wind in the Celtic Sea’s deeper waters, ahead of the far larger projects planned there over the next decade.
The last piece of the consenting puzzle
The consent completes Llŷr’s set of approvals. The project was granted a marine licence by Natural Resources Wales in June and secured its seabed rights in July through an agreement for lease with The Crown Estate.
Scott Harper, chief executive of Cierco Energy, said: “Securing Section 36 consent is a fantastic achievement for Llŷr and for Wales.”
Harper said the project would help position south-west Wales as “a global hub for offshore wind innovation, advanced engineering, and clean energy expertise”, creating opportunities for local businesses, ports, universities and the wider supply chain.
The Celtic Sea is fast becoming the centre of the UK’s next offshore wind push. Erebus, the sea’s first commercial-scale floating wind farm, secured its contract in January’s record UK auction, a result the UK Government said would bring port upgrades, fabrication work and long-term maintenance roles to Pembrokeshire.
Pembrokeshire’s deep-water ports and energy infrastructure have been seen as key advantages as the region positions itself at the heart of that expansion.
The county was also named one of Wales’ top net zero economic hotspots in May, in analysis that warned Wales risked falling behind on a £13.1 billion renewable energy pipeline unless build-out accelerated.
For the Plaid Cymru-led government elected in May, which has put clean energy at the centre of its economic strategy, the Llŷr consent is its first chance to turn that pipeline into something under construction.
Cierco says the project will build the capabilities needed for future large-scale deployments. The turbines are due to be generating by 2031.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Pembrokeshire wins big as record UK offshore wind auction secures Erebus in Celtic Sea
January’s record auction landed the Celtic Sea’s first commercial-scale floating wind farm.
NET ZERO ECONOMY: Pembrokeshire and Port Talbot named among Wales’s top hotspots
The county’s net zero economy, and the warning over a £13bn pipeline.
Port Talbot tipped for key role as third Celtic Sea wind farm confirmed
How the Celtic Sea build-out could flow through south Wales ports.
Welsh Government launches ports prospectus highlighting Swansea, Port Talbot and Milford Haven
Ministers’ pitch for Welsh ports in the offshore wind supply chain.
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