Former UK wind champion Tim Pick sets Welsh action plan

A group focused on supporting the rollout of Welsh offshore wind projects, led by former UK offshore wind champion Tim Pick, has started to lay out its plans.

The group is made up of developers, port representatives, manufacturing businesses and skills bodies and aims to collaborate with the Crown Estate to remove stumbling blocks for renewables projects off the coast of Wales to “secure lasting economic and social value” for the country.

The country has a 15 GW pipeline of offshore wind projects around its coastline, in Welsh, English and Irish waters.

The group, coordinated by Pick, aims to streamline the consenting process for offshore wind projects to accelerate the delivery of projects, in a move that it claims will reduce costs.

It has also recommended support for Welsh supply chain firms, particularly smaller organisations which aim to enter the offshore wind market.

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Announcing the new action plan during Wind Week, the Welsh cabinet secretary for economy, energy and planning, Rebecca Evans, said she wanted to “drive forward the renewable energy revolution, ensuring that Wales remains at the forefront”.

The group has called for the Welsh steel and concrete sectors to integrate with offshore wind development, particularly for floating offshore wind foundations and substructures.

Evans added: “Last week, we welcomed the announcement that offshore wind in the Celtic Sea was moving from planning into development and delivery.

“With two successful bidders announced to develop three gigawatts of clean energy, and a clear commitment from the Crown Estate to deliver the full 4.5GW, we see the start of billions of pounds of investment and thousands of jobs.”

Ports are key to Welsh wind success

Ports have recently received backing from the UK government following its recent spending review.

Port Talbot stands to benefit from millions of pounds in public funding as it sets its sights on future wind activities.

Talbot, alongside Milford Haven, forms the Celtic Freeport, which aims to draw investment to the region.

Freeports are areas created by the government that are supported by a range of tax breaks and customs exemptions for businesses within the freeport area and benefiting from port infrastructure.

© Supplied by Welsh Government

The Celtic Freeport was set aside £26 million from UK government investment in March, and more funds are set to come.

“All the evidence shows the strategic importance of local ports to the developers of offshore wind projects, and I am delighted the UK Government confirmed up to £80 million in the spending review to kickstart the investment in the port at Port Talbot,” Evans said.

The Welsh offshore wind market could deliver up to £4.8 billion to local businesses, which has the potential to create more than 3,000 jobs.

Ajai Ahluwalia, head of supply chain for RenewableUK, said: “We are pleased to see clear, practical actions that respond directly to industry calls for greater certainty, stronger collaboration, and urgent delivery.”

© Shutterstock / Chris Goddard

Pick has previously campaigned for greater port availability for UK floating wind projects.

While in his role as the UK’s offshore wind champion, he said it was a “national disgrace” that maintenance work for the Kincardine floating wind farm off Aberdeen was carried out overseas.

“I love the fact that we have the world’s leading floating offshore wind farm, it’s brilliant and I bang on about it as much as anyone else,” Pick said at the All Energy conference in 2023.

“But the fact that we couldn’t build it from here and we can’t even fix it from here when it’s broken is, to my mind, a national disgrace.

“We call ourselves a maritime nation, and yet we can’t do this stuff.”