Welsh ports shortlisted for offshore wind farms
April 7, 2025
Welsh ports in running for floating wind farms
Getty ImagesThree Welsh ports have been shortlisted for contracts to develop offshore wind farm projects with turbines as high as skyscrapers in the Celtic Sea.
Swansea, Port Talbot and Milford Haven face rival bids from Bristol, Falmouth and Plymouth for the development of three new floating wind farms.
The turbines could be up to 300m (984ft) tall – almost as high as The Shard in London – and sit on a football pitch-sized platform.
The projects will be capable of generating enough renewable energy capacity to power more than four million homes, and would also create up to 5,000 jobs, the Crown Estate said.
It added the plans could give the economy a boost of as much as £1.4b.
Bidders proposing to develop the wind farms have set out which ports they want to work with to support the projects – including mounting the turbines on the floating platforms and towing them out to sea.
Among the three Welsh ports, bidding information showed “strong potential” for Port Talbot, the Crown Estate added.
The Port of Bristol could also play a key role, it said.
The successful bidder will be awarded rights for three new floating wind farms in the Celtic Sea, with winning bidders expected to sign agreements this summer.
The Crown Estate, which belongs to the King, owns 65% of the Welsh coast and riverbed and the seabed up to 12 miles out to sea.
Welsh secretary Jo Stevens said the announcement showed Wales was ready to seize the “golden opportunity of floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, and secure more than 5,000 jobs and billions of pounds of investment this has the potential to bring”.
“Wales will play a key part in delivering clean power as part of our plan for change, boosting economic growth, lowering energy bills and putting more pounds in people’s pockets,” she added.
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