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Climate

Global floating offshore wind project pipeline grows by one-third over 12 months

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A NEW report published today by RenewableUK shows that the total pipeline of floating offshore wind projects has grown significantly in the last 12 months in terms of capacity from 185 gigawatts a year ago to 244GW now – a 32% increase.

The number of projects has increased globally during that time from 230 to 285. The pipeline includes projects at any stage: fully operational, under construction, approved, in the planning system awaiting a decision or at an early stage of development.

The EnergyPulse Insights report was compiled by RenewableUK’s data analysts to coincide with the opening of our 2-day Floating Offshore Wind 2023 conference and exhibition in Aberdeen.

So far, 227 megawatts of floating wind are fully operational across 14 projects in 7 countries. Norway has the most with 94MW across 3 projects. The UK is second with 80MW (2 projects), Portugal has 25MW (1 project) and China is fourth with 19MW across 3 projects. Japan has 5MW (2 projects), Spain 2.225MW (2 projects) and France 2MW (1 project).

Globally, 46MW are under construction (3 projects), 576MW are consented or in the pre-construction phase (11 projects), 68GW are in the planning system or have a lease agreement (80 projects), and 175GW are in early development or applying for a lease (177 projects).​

Nearly two-thirds of floating wind capacity announced so far worldwide are being developed in European waters (160GW), 14% is in the UK (35GW – of which 29GW is in Scottish waters). Outside Europe, projects are being developed mainly off the west coast of the USA, the southeast coast of Australia and South Korea.​

Although Italy has the largest project pipeline (40,071MW), nearly all its 47 projects are at an early stage of development, with only one (90MW) submitted into the planning system so far.

Floating Offshore Wind Total Portfolio By Country​ (MW)

The report also shows that demand for floating foundations is expected to ramp up fast, with the potential for 472 in the UK by the end of 2032. There could be 1,369 floating foundations in Europe and 1,924 for projects globally by the end of 2032.

RenewableUK predicts that floating wind will represent well over half of the UK’s offshore wind generation by 2050, generating around £43.6bn in economic value and more than 29,000 jobs. It will also play a critical role in regenerating our coastal communities; with £4bn required to transform up to eleven ports across the UK into industrial hubs for mass roll-out of floating wind by the turn of the decade. There is up to £3.6bn in development funds ready to be released across 24GW of floating capacity with leasing secured in UK waters.

RenewableUK believes that the Government’s target of reaching 5GW of floating wind in UK waters by 2030 remains achievable, but the next CfD auction and future rounds must be underpinned by sustainable parameters in order to maximise deployment, drive down costs and incentivise investment in domestic supply chains. This year’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction failed to secure any new floating wind capacity, despite 250MW of floating wind capacity being shovel-ready.

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail, Co-Chair the Floating Wind Taskforce said:

“This report shows that although the UK is a world leader in floating wind, other countries are eyeing the massive economic opportunity offered by this innovative technology and are determined to get a slice of the action. The international competition for investment is intensifying rapidly.

“We urgently need a step-change from our partners in Government to ensure that this cutting-edge industry can attract billions in investment to boost deployment and build up new supply chains, rather than focussing solely on a race to the bottom on prices.

“To ensure that the UK seizes the industrial benefits of developing state-of-the-art technology and revitalising ports around the country, we need to see sustainable prices to enable stepping-stone projects to go ahead in a successful auction next year, and every year going forward. Leveraging these projects will enable us to replicate the cost reductions we’ve seen in fixed-foundation offshore wind, as well as catalysing supply chain development. We’re determined to make the 2020s a decade of acceleration for floating wind”.

Business

The White Hart Inn, St Dogmaels, set to make changes

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A Pembrokeshire community pub, recently hailed as one of the most friendly in Britain, has been given the go-ahead to install solar panels by county planners.

The White Hart Inn in St Dogmaels was ranked second friendliest pub in the UK in a study by security experts Get Licensed, which looked at Tripadvisor reviews and median crime scores around each pub to find the friendliest in the UK.

The 250-year-old White Hart, on Finch Street, reopened as a community pub in 2021 following a campaign after it closed in May 2019 when the last landlords decided to refocus to other activities.

The White Hart Community Inn Ltd was formed as a Community Benefit Society and a community share offer launched with the guidance of the Wales Co-operative Centre.

Two years of fund-raising and campaigning has seen enough money raised through individual community shares purchases together with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government via the Social Business Growth Fund administered by Social Investment Cymru at WCVA, alongside a grant from Pembrokeshire County Council.

An application was recently submitted to Pembrokeshire County council by White Hart Community Inn (St Dogmaels) Ltd to install solar panels at the historic pub.

The proposals were supported by St Dogmaels Community Council, which said it “fully supports the application for the installation of photovoltaic panels”.

A statement in support of the scheme added: “[The community council]  acknowledges the importance of sustainable energy solutions and believes that this project aligns with a commitment to environmental responsibility and reducing carbon emissions within the community.

“It believes that the benefits to the local business, the environment, and the wider community, in the retention of this business, far outweigh any potential drawbacks. It urges the planning authority to approve this application, with any necessary conditions to ensure the character of the Conservation Area is respected.”

The application was conditionally approved by planners.

Receiving the recent Get Licensed award, the White Hart Inn received a top score of five on Tripadvisor, and 66.67 per cent of its reviews highlighted the pub’s ‘friendly’ and ‘welcoming’ atmosphere.

The local area also has a low crime rate, with a median score of 609 out of 1,000.

A total of 39 crimes were reported in 2024.

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Climate

New community wind turbine set to be built near Fishguard

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A CALL to replace a Pembrokeshire community wind turbine which has raised more than £76,000 for local groups with a larger one has been backed once again despite a second recommendation to refuse.

In an application before Pembrokeshire County Council’s March planning committee meeting, Abergwaun Community Turbine Ltd, through agent Machynlleth-based Dulas Ltd sought permission for a larger turbine to replace the existing Abergwaun Community Turbine.

The proposed turbine, in a pasture field at Trebover Farm, to the south of Fishguard, would be 67m tall, the existing 2015 one – granted on appeal – being 45 metres.

In supporting statements, parent company Transition Bro Gwaun said: “The Community Climate Fund (CCF) is the mechanism by which Transition Bro Gwaun (TBG) is fulfilling our ambition of funding projects in Fishguard, Goodwick and across North Pembrokeshire, using income from the community wind turbine.

“The core themes for grants are climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhancement of biodiversity and improvements to community resilience through promotion of community engagement and resource sharing.”

Profit generated by sale of electricity from the turbine is split 50:50 between TBG and Parcy-Morfa Farms Ltd through the jointly-owned trading arm, Abergwaun Community Turbine, with community grants awarded through TBG’s Community Climate Fund, amounting to £76,036 to date.

2024 awards of £20,917 were made to six projects, including Theatr Gwaun, Parc Cerrig Growers, Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture, and Nevern Valley Veg.

The scheme was recommended for refusal on the grounds including “significant detrimental visual impact” on the area, “including areas of high sensitivity in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and in Fishguard,” on the Conservation Areas of Goodwick, Fishguard and Lower Town, Fishguard.

The scheme had previously been ‘minded to’ backed at the January planning committee, against officer recommendations for refusal, meaning it returned to a later committee for ratification after a ‘cooling-off’ period, this time the March meeting.

At the March meeting, members heard previous concerns by the nearby national park were no longer being made, with Andy Anderson of Scleddau Community Council speaking in favour of both the local community benefits – including funding for solar panels on the local football club – and the community being “well used” to the existing turbine.

Agent Paul Cowley said part of the application for the larger turbine was the existing machine showing signs of gearbox wear, and the proposal helping the county meet its ‘net zero’ green energy target.

Moving approval, Cllr John T Davies said it was “significant” the national park was no longer raising concerns, attempting to allay noise concerns made at the meeting by local resident Neil Morris, by saying larger turbines were less of a concern as they rotated less.

A voice of concern, however, was Cllr Brian Hall, who suggested turbines in his own ward had affected property values by as much as £100,000.

The application to approve, against officer recommendations, was passed by 10 votes to three, with one abstention.

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Climate

Solar farm powering up to 3,300 Pembrokeshire homes delayed

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A PEMBROKESHIRE solar farm scheme, which would provide power for nearly 3,300 homes, has been put on hold once again, after previously being deferred for a site visit.

In an application listed at Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee meeting of March 18, members were recommended to approve a scheme by Wessex Solar Energy (WSE Pembrokeshire Ltd) for a 9.99MW solar farm and associated works at Lower Nash Farm, near Pembroke Dock.

The proposed scheme would be spread over three fields, amounting to approximately 14 hectares with some 25,000 PV panels on site, some 120 metres from the national park.

The scheme was previously deferred from the February meeting so members could visit the site after concerns were raised about the loss of the most valuable agricultural land.

The development, some of it on Best and Most Versatile (BMV) Agricultural land, would provide approximately 3,296 households with renewable energy annually, members have previously heard.

A larger 22MW scheme covering 34.25ha was previously refused in 2021 due to the effect on BMV land.

Planning Policy Wales (PPW) requires that BMV agricultural land “should be conserved as a finite resource for the future with considerable weight given to protecting it from development,” adding: “Such land should only be developed if there is an overriding need for the scheme and either previously developed land or land in lower agricultural grades are unavailable.”

Welsh Government Soil Policy & Agricultural Land Use Planning Unit has objected to the latest scheme on BMV grounds, saying the return to agriculture as BMV agricultural land is “…seldom practicable”.

Four objections to the scheme were received, with local community council Cosheston raising concerns about the use of BMV land.

At the February meeting, agent Charlotte Peacock was questioned about the use of the BMV land by committee chair Cllr Simon Hancock, who said: “Farming and agriculture are fundamental to the security of this country; the way that the population is increasing we really need to ensure farmland is protected.”

The agent said the farmer landowner would receive a guaranteed income which would be more reliable than crop values, adding: “The greatest threat to future security is climate change, the single biggest threat to our output of crops.”

Local member Cllr Tessa Hodgson, as a public speaker, successfully called for a site visit before any decision was made saying it was “surely better to use poorer land and brownfield sites” for such developments,” adding: “Does the permanent loss of prime agricultural land outweigh the benefit of renewable energy?”

At the start of the March meeting, members were told the scheme had been temporarily withdrawn due to issue with the publicity of an environmental statement accompanying the application; the proposal expected to now be considered at the April meeting.

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