Celtico and Cierco Energy have announced a new strategic partnership to strengthen collaboration between developers, government, ports, industry, and the wider supply chain. The move hopes to ensure Welsh engineering and manufacturing businesses are best positioned to benefit from one of the UK’s most significant emerging renewable energy sectors.
The partnership comes at a crucial stage in the development of Cierco Energy’s Llŷr Wind Farms. The project recently achieved a major regulatory milestone with the granting of a Marine Licence by Natural Resources Wales, alongside the completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment process. It now awaits Section 36 Consent from the Welsh Government under the Electricity Act 1989.
Securing this consent would allow the project to participate in the forthcoming Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 8, representing an important step in maintaining momentum for pioneering offshore wind technologies in the Celtic Sea.
As one of the UK’s first demonstration-scale offshore wind technology projects, Llŷr has the potential to showcase Wales’s engineering capability while helping to develop the skills, expertise and resilient supply chains needed to support future commercial projects.
Celtico was established to provide a single point of engagement for major renewable energy and infrastructure projects, bringing together the expertise of Welsh engineering and manufacturing companies to support developers and create opportunities.
By working together from the earliest stages of project development, both Celtico and Cierco hope to strengthen collaboration between developers and the Welsh supply chain, ensuring local businesses have greater visibility of future opportunities and are ready to contribute when projects move into delivery.
Andrew Beer, Chair of Celtico, said:
Our partnership with CIERCO is built on a shared ambition to ensure Wales captures the maximum possible benefit from the transition to new offshore wind technologies.
Welsh businesses have the expertise, experience and capability to make a significant contribution to projects such as Llŷr, but they also need confidence that projects will progress and investment will be realised.
The granting of the Marine Licence is a hugely positive milestone and demonstrates the progress that has already been made. We now hope to see the remaining Section 36 Consent granted in time to enable the project to participate in Allocation Round 8.
Timely decision-making will send an important signal to investors, developers and the wider supply chain that Wales is serious about becoming a leader in pioneering offshore wind technologies. That confidence is essential if businesses are to invest in skills, facilities and long-term capability that will support future projects and create lasting economic benefits for communities across Wales.
Scott Harper, Managing Director of CIERCO, said:
We are delighted to be working alongside Celtico to strengthen engagement with the Welsh engineering community and help maximise the opportunities that pioneering offshore wind technologies can bring to Wales.
The Llŷr Wind Farms have always been about more than generating renewable energy. As pioneering test and demonstration projects, they have the potential to showcase innovative offshore wind technologies while helping to develop local capability, strengthen regional supply chains and build confidence for future investment.
The recent Marine Licence represents a significant milestone, and we look forward to continuing to work with Welsh Government, industry and our partners as the project progresses through the remaining stages of the consenting process.”