Equinor has expressed its interest in developing gigwatt-scale floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, with the upcoming Celtic Sea floating wind seabed leasing round in view. The Crown Estate is planning a seabed leasing round in the Celtic Sea in 2023. The Celtic Sea seabed leasing round aims to facilitate the development of the floating offshore wind industry in the U.K. and encourage investments in the U.K. supply chain.
“Equinor has been operating in the U.K. for nearly 40 years and we are delighted to see new and exciting opportunities emerging in the Celtic Sea,” says Catherine Maloney, head of business development and U.K. offshore wind. “Our team is working hard to mature our plans in Wales and South West England, as engagement with local communities is critical to Equinor’s project development of offshore wind.”
“Equinor is highly experienced at developing floating wind: we have installed the world’s first floating wind turbine, the world’s first floating offshore wind farm and are now building the world’s largest floating wind farm,” adds Maloney. “We are committed to industrializing floating offshore wind and the Celtic Sea is an optimal region for further development of this important technology.
Central to the Celtic Sea seabed leasing round is a focus on environmental and social value creation, respect for the marine environment, engagement with local communities and stakeholders, and development of a competitive floating offshore wind supply chain. Equinor has conducted a comprehensive site selection process in the Celtic Sea and is maturing its site selection through aerial surveys. In the Celtic Sea region, Equinor intends to work with all stakeholders to develop floating offshore wind projects that create shared value for local communities, and initiate opportunities for the regional supply chain to advance as a competitive hub for floating offshore wind.
