Erebus Offshore Wind Farm
| Erebus | |
|---|---|
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Location | Celtic Sea, |
| Coordinates | 51°29′38″N 5°34′59″W / 51.494°N 5.583°W |
| Status | Proposed |
| Commission date | Expected 2030 |
| Wind farm | |
| Type | Offshore |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 100 MW (proposed) |
| External links | |
| Website | https://www.bluegemwind.com/our-projects/erebus/ |
Erebus is a proposed Offshore Wind Farm located in the Celtic Sea off the Pembrokeshire coast. The project is being developed by Blue Gem Wind, co-owned by French energy company TotalEnergies in a joint-venture with Simply Blue Group.[1][2] It will be approximately 45 km (28 mi; 24 nmi) from the coast, south-west of Milford Haven, with a subsea cable connecting to Milford Haven.[3] If built, it will be the first floating wind farm located off the coast of Wales, which has been described as a "pathway project", and it is hoped it can reinforce the prospects of ports and engineering firms in south Wales.[4]
The project is named after HMS Erebus, built in Pembroke Dockyard in 1826, which in turn was the second Royal Navy vessel to be named after the dark area of Hades in Greek mythology, Erebus.[5]
In August 2020, the project was granted a seabed lease from The Crown Estate, as part of the Offshore Wind Test and Demonstration opportunity. This was the first floating wind project to gain a lease in Wales.[6]
In March 2023, the project consisting of seven 14 MW turbines was granted consent by the Welsh Government. At that point, it was hoped it would be operational by 2026.[4][7] However, by September 2023, the project had been delayed as the funding available through the Contracts for Difference scheme was too low, so Blue Gem Wind did not submit a bid.[8] There were no successful offshore wind projects in that auction round.[9]
In January 2026, the project was awarded Contracts for Difference for 100 MW at £216.49/MWh (2024 prices), as part of the seventh Allocation Round.[10][11]
While the turbine manufacturer had not been decided, as of January 2026, the project will use Principle Power's Windfloat foundations.[5]
See also
- List of offshore wind farms in the United Kingdom
- Renewable energy in the United Kingdom
- Renewable energy in Wales
References
- ^ "Two offshore wind farms win funding off Wales coastline". BBC News. 14 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "About us". Blue Gem Wind. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "Erebus floating windfarm planned off Pembrokeshire coast". BBC News. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ a b Mansfield, Mark (13 March 2023). "Consent granted for Wales' first floating windfarm". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ a b "Erebus". Blue Gem Wind. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "Seabed Rights for Wales' First Floating Offshore Wind Farm Secured". Business News Wales. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
- ^ "Consent granted for Wales' first floating windfarm". Gov.Wales. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "First floating wind farm in Wales delayed over funding". BBC News. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "No bids for offshore wind in government auction". BBC News. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 7: results". GOV.UK. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
- ^ "Q&A: What UK's record auction for offshore wind means for bills and clean power by 2030". Carbon Brief. 15 January 2026. Retrieved 16 January 2026.