Ocean Winds, a joint venture between EDP Renewables (EDPR) and ENGIE, has signed a lease agreement with the Crown Estate to develop a 1.5GW floating offshore wind farm in the Celtic Sea.
This development follows Ocean Winds’ selection as the preferred supplier for the site in November 2025, under Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5.
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The project will be located off the coasts of South Wales and south-west England and forms part of the UK’s continued efforts to expand its offshore wind capacity.
The agreement positions Ocean Winds alongside Equinor and Gwynt Glas in advancing large-scale floating wind installations in the region. Collectively, these sites aim to supply power to more than four million homes.
Each of the three designated sites under Round 5 holds a capacity of up to 1.5GW, with full realisation expected to support more than 5,000 jobs and generate up to £1.4bn ($1.8bn) for the UK economy.
Ocean Winds has previously delivered fixed bottom offshore wind projects such as Moray East and Moray West in the UK, and brought into operation WindFloat Atlantic, a semi-submersible floating wind farm in Portugal in 2020.
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By GlobalDataThe company’s next steps include project design development, conducting onshore and offshore site surveys, completing environmental impact assessments, engaging with the public and seeking planning consents.
After meeting these preliminary requirements, Ocean Winds can apply for full leasing rights from the Crown Estate to proceed with construction and operation of the wind farm.
Ocean Winds UK country manager Adam Morrison said: “Signing the agreement for lease for the Celtic Sea site demonstrates our commitment to the development of commercial-scale floating offshore wind in the UK.
“Over the coming years we will begin early-stage development work, engaging with local stakeholders to identify opportunities to deliver lasting benefits to our local communities whilst supporting the UK’s energy security and net-zero objectives.”
Project delivery is targeted for completion by the mid-2030s.
Ocean Winds will adhere to contractual commitments that involve social, economic and environmental measures similar to those agreed by other developers in Round 5.
These include a stipulation that at least 3.5% of new workers are apprentices and at least 10% of workers aged 19–24 recruited at project commencement are not in education, employment or training.
