Erebus scheme off Pembrokeshire coast backed in UK auction as Irish Sea port resilience plan published

PEMBROKESHIRE’S role in the next wave of offshore energy took a step forward on Wednesday (Jan 14) after a floating wind project planned off the county’s coastline secured UK Government backing — with ministers also publishing fresh recommendations aimed at improving resilience across Irish Sea ports.

RenewableUK Cymru said Blue Gem Wind’s Erebus floating offshore wind test and demonstration project in the Celtic Sea, off the Pembrokeshire coast, was among the successful schemes in the latest UK offshore wind auction.

The project is being positioned as an early proving ground for floating wind in the Celtic Sea — technology seen as key to unlocking larger developments later in the 2030s — and is expected to help build confidence, reduce costs and develop the skills and supply chains needed for bigger projects to follow.

For Pembrokeshire, the significance is not only the turbines offshore, but what comes with them onshore: ports, fabrication, logistics, marine services and long-term maintenance work.

Milford Haven, already one of Wales’s most strategically important ports and energy hubs, is expected to be central to any future Celtic Sea build-out — both in terms of supply-chain opportunities and the infrastructure needed to support new offshore industries.

RenewableUK Cymru said Wales secured two offshore wind successes in the auction, including Erebus in the south-west and RWE’s Awel y Môr off North Wales, representing around £2.6bn of investment opportunity and enough clean electricity to power almost one million homes. The projects are expected to be delivered around 2030–31.

On the same day, the Welsh and Irish governments published recommendations from the Irish Sea Resilience Taskforce, set up after the temporary closure of Holyhead Port in December 2024 caused major disruption.

Although Holyhead is in North Wales, the Taskforce’s work is being seen across the sector as a reminder that Welsh ports are critical national infrastructure — and that resilience, contingency planning and clear communication matter when services are disrupted.

The recommendations include steps aimed at improving contingency plans to protect passenger connectivity and manage disruption better, as well as a commitment to an annual bilateral meeting between Irish and Welsh transport officials.

Ireland’s Minister of State with responsibility for international and road transport, logistics, rail and ports, Seán Canney, said the Taskforce had strengthened relationships between departments and would continue through annual meetings and regular communication.

Wales’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said discussions had reinforced the importance of Irish Sea-facing ports to communities in Wales and Ireland, and the shared responsibility to ensure they “thrive and grow”.

Taken together, the announcements point to a clear theme for Pembrokeshire: Wales’s ports are being asked to do more — supporting new industries such as floating offshore wind, while also strengthening resilience and response planning for the disruptions that can hit major sea links.

For Milford Haven and the wider Haven Waterway, the question now is how quickly local infrastructure, contractors and training pathways can align with the emerging offshore wind opportunity — so that as projects scale up in the Celtic Sea, more of the jobs and investment are anchored in Pembrokeshire.

Later on Wednesday First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, said: “I’m delighted that two Welsh offshore wind projects have secured contracts in the latest UK auction. This demonstrates how Wales is well placed to build on its existing capacity for renewable energy, to reap the benefits of these new projects bringing many high-quality jobs and wider economic benefits to our economy.

“The floating offshore project off the coast of Pembrokeshire will help kickstart the new floating offshore wind industry for Wales and, together with extending the fixed offshore wind generation in north Wales, will utilise the latest technology and help to reduce bills and boost our energy security.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said: “We will work with these companies to ensure our ports are used, and that our supply chains are in a position to support this industry. We know we have the ability to deliver on the skills already – our offer is recognised as globally competitive, and we will continue to build on this.”

“Wales is in a fantastic position to support the new floating wind industry and the additional fixed offshore wind projects.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said: “Today’s announcement is huge news for Pembrokeshire and North Wales.  It is a massive a vote of confidence in Wales’ clean energy industry which is already delivering the well-paid, highly-skilled jobs of the future with the potential to bring thousands more. 

“The UK Government is working with investors to develop home-grown clean power which will secure our energy supply and bring down bills for good. These new projects in the seas off Wales will help us achieve those goals.”

On Thursday MS Samuel Kurtz said in a statement to this newspaper: “This announcement is welcome news for Pembrokeshire. For many years, I have been clear that our county is exceptionally well placed to benefit from floating offshore wind, with a skilled workforce, strong engineering capability, established ports and proximity to key natural assets all working in our favour. I have consistently made the case for Pembrokeshire’s role in this sector, which is why this agenda was advanced under the previous UK Conservative Government, and I am pleased to see that progress continuing under this government.

“The real test, however, will be what happens next. It is essential that the economic benefits are maximised locally: that Pembroke Port is used to its full potential, that local firms can compete for and win work, while continuing to recognise the ongoing importance of the oil and gas sector to both our local economy and the UK’s energy security.

“There also remain serious questions for the Energy Secretary about rising energy bills for families and businesses, which have increased significantly since the election despite promises to reduce them.

“In short, this is good news, but it is not the end of the story. I will continue to make the case for Pembrokeshire so that our communities see real and lasting benefits from these developments.”

Port of Milford Haven took to social media to say: “The AR7 announcement is another step forward for offshore wind in Wales.

“As the closest deep-water port to the floating wind development areas, with specialist facilities available at Pembroke Dock boosted by freeport status, we stand ready to support the delivery of the Erebus project and this new industry for Wales.

“We are also delighted to hear of the success of the Awel Y Mor wind farm, and will do what we can to further build our longstanding relationship with the developer RWE.”

A CALL for a 1.5km hydrogen gas pipeline in Pembrokeshire in connection with a previously granted scheme for green energy production has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Zurich-based MorGen Energy Ltd, previously known as H2 Energy Europe, sought permission for a 1.5km six-inch 10-bar low-pressure hydrogen pipeline and associated Above Ground Installation at the Impala Terminal, Milford Haven to the South Hook Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal.

A supporting statement through agent Fisher German said the scheme crossed both Pembrokeshire County Council and the national park authorities, with a similar application before that authority.

It added: “The proposals form part of the West Wales Hydrogen project, where planning permission was granted on October 6, 2023, for the development of a new 20MW hydrogen production facility at the Impala Terminal (formerly Puma Energy) in Milford Haven.

“The approved hydrogen production facility which uses electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, where the oxygen is a by-product of the process.  The hydrogen production plant will produce 1,875 tons of hydrogen per year. Hydrogen will be distributed via high pressure vessels (40 ft. containers) to various customers in the closer vicinity, opening the hydrogen market to a large variety of customers.

“Hydrogen will also be distributed to the South Hook LNG Terminal and it is proposed that this will be via a new six-inch 10-bar hydrogen pipeline. The option to supply hydrogen to the South Hook LNG terminal via high pressure hydrogen containers was dismissed due to safety considerations at the terminal.

“This application therefore seeks planning permission for a section of below ground hydrogen pipeline within the jurisdiction of Pembrokeshire County Council, which comprises the north part of the route from the hydrogen plant at Impala to the South Hook LNG Terminal, alongside an AGI at the Impala Terminal.”

An officer report recommending approval said: “The proposal is to construct a below ground hydrogen pipeline and an Above Ground Installation (AGI).  The southern part of the proposed pipeline is within the jurisdiction of the Pembroke Coast National Park Authority – a separate planning application has been made to PCNPA.

“The hydrogen pipeline would supply South Hook LNG terminal with low carbon hydrogen from a new hydrogen production facility at the Impala Terminal that benefits from planning permission.

“The application states that ‘the South Hook LNG Terminal will use the hydrogen to partially decarbonize their site, namely their Submerged Combustion Vaporisers (SCVs) by blending hydrogen into the natural gas stream’.”

The application was conditionally approved.

COMMUNITY groups from across Wales have united behind a new Charter calling for a fundamental overhaul of how renewable energy developments are planned and approved.

The Charter for a Just Transition to Net Zero has been launched by an alliance of grassroots and environmental organisations who say current planning arrangements favour large-scale energy developers at the expense of local communities.

Campaigners argue that residents affected by wind farms, energy parks and grid infrastructure are being left without adequate information, influence or access to independent advice, while developments are approved piecemeal without proper consideration of cumulative impacts.

The groups say the planning system is failing to give communities a meaningful voice, despite the long-term consequences for landscapes, heritage and wellbeing.

Dr Jonathan Dean, spokesman for the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW), said Wales must address climate change without sidelining rural communities.

“Wales must tackle climate change, but not by excluding the very communities who live in and care for these landscapes,” he said. “This Charter sets out a credible and democratic path forward, and we are urging all political parties to adopt its principles ahead of the 2026 Senedd election.”

Concerns raised in the Charter include a lack of transparency around proposed schemes, limited opportunities for early engagement, and the growing pressure on communities facing multiple overlapping energy developments.

Jenny Chryss, campaign lead at ReThink, said communities across Wales were being overwhelmed by the scale and pace of proposals.

“Right now, Wales is seeing multiple energy schemes coming forward with little regard for cumulative impacts, environmental damage or community wellbeing,” she said. “This Charter is about the basics: honesty, accountability and decisions that put people first.”

The Charter calls for a series of reforms, including early and clear disclosure of proposed developments, direct engagement with affected communities, and fair access to independent legal and technical advice.

It also calls for a pause on new approvals until cumulative impacts are properly assessed, alongside stronger protections for landscapes, heritage and public wellbeing.

Supporters say Wales can meet its climate targets while maintaining democratic accountability and public trust, warning that failing to do so risks undermining confidence in the transition to Net Zero.

The Charter has been backed by community and environmental groups from across the country, including organisations representing areas facing significant pressure from large-scale renewable energy proposals.

CPRW, founded in 1928, said the document offers a practical route to delivering climate action without sacrificing rural communities or public confidence in the planning system.