Port Talbot receives £64m boost for floating offshore wind

PORT TALBOT is set to become a hub for floating offshore wind (FLOW) after securing £64m (US$86m) from the UK government for a “transformational” green energy plan.

Associated British Ports (ABP) has launched the Future Port Talbot programme, an initiative aimed at making the town a “central location for the manufacturing, assembly and integration of FLOW for projects in the Celtic Sea”.

The Welsh town, on the eastern edge of Swansea Bay, has undergone a significant change in its industrial landscape in recent years, most notably following Tata Steel’s transition from blast furnace operations to electrified steelmaking.

ABP expects the development to attract more than £500m in private investment and create new jobs in the region.

Floating wind potential

Floating turbines are designed for deeper waters and can operate at depths from 60m to 1,000m, enabling deployment in areas unsuitable for fixed-bottom installations.

ABP says Port Talbot is ideal for FLOW as it has a sheltered deep-water harbour and extensive developable land. Its proximity to the Celtic Sea also gives it an advantage for exporting energy.

The redeveloped port is expected to support around 4.5 GW of floating wind capacity in the Celtic Sea, with scope for further expansion.

Next steps

ABP is progressing technical masterplanning work to prepare the site for development.

Pursuing planning approval “in due course”, the company said it expects the port to meet developer requirements before the end of the decade.