Opening the Celtic Sea
The Celtic Sea, located between the United Kingdom and Ireland, holds an estimated 50 GW of offshore wind resource. The 96 MW Erebus project, located offshore Pembrokeshire, Wales, is a flagship project planned by Blue Gem Wind, a joint venture between Total and Simply Blue Energy, to unlock the potential of this region.
The project will feature between 7 and 10 turbines on WindFloat® floating platforms located approximately 44 km southwest of the Pembrokeshire coastline.
The Erebus project will see the deployment of a fully industrialized WindFloat® and represents a stepping stone that will allow the local supply chain to build capabilities for the delivery of larger projects under development in the Celtic sea region.
When built, Erebus will power approximately 90,000 homes.
First power
2027 (estimate)
Project capacity
96 MW
Wind turbine
TBD
Wind turbine capacity
TBD
Operational design life
25 years
Distance to shore
44 km
Water depth
70 m
Project sponsors
Total Energies, Simply Blue Energy
Financing
TBD
Certification
TBD
A 50 GW opportunity in the Celtic Sea
Simply Blue Energy, a pioneering Celtic Sea energy developer, and Total Energies, one of the world’s largest energy companies, have established a partnership to develop floating wind projects in the waters of the Celtic Sea. The partnership will focus at first on a 96 MW demonstration project named Erebus.
The project takes its name after the famous ship built in Pembroke Dock in 1826, which went on to explore Antarctic and Arctic waters in the 1830s and 1840s before being abandoned during the Franklin expedition in 1848. It was rediscovered in 2014.
Developing the potential of the Celtic Sea is essential for the United Kingdom to achieve its net-zero goals; the Committee on Climate Change suggests the UK will need at least 75 GW of operating offshore wind capacity to reach the net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2050.
ORE Catapult estimates that a single GW of floating wind in the Celtic Sea could potentially deliver over 3 000 jobs and £682 M in supply chain opportunities for Wales and Cornwall by 2030.
We are delighted to have Principle Power as a part of the Erebus team and using the WindFloat® Technology. We value the experience Principle Power brings from their existing project pipeline. The project marks a significant step in developing floating offshore wind sites in Welsh waters of the Celtic Sea.
- Mike Scott, Project Managing Director, Blue Gem Wind
The WindFloat® advantage
PerformanceFabricationInstallationInspection, Maintenance & RepairConnectionLocal CommunitiesEnvironmentServices
Project Development SupportConcept and Pre-FEED DesignFEED and Detailed DesignProject Execution SupportInspect, Maintain & RepairEnd of Life Services
