Celtic Sea Blueprint Review of options for securing value & managing deployment risk
The Celtic Sea Blueprint sets out the minimum required infrastructure and supply chain for delivery of the proposed 4.5GW (based on three 1.5GW projects) Leasing Round 5. Slide 8 summaries these high-level quantities and is followed by 3 slides providing a further breakdown in terms of assumptions and requirements for (a) ports; (b) major components; and (c) vessels. Within the Celtic Sea region are opportunities across a range of component, vessel and service areas. A number of regional ports can all potentially win work from assembly, integration, marshalling, O&M and wet storage activities.
Â
Local ports can potentially look to maximise value from floating offshore wind build out by ensuring available tugs and logistics support is in place to work alongside larger vessels. Within the region there already exists strong capacity in several important areas, including opportunities to grow expertise in concrete platform production, building on available material supply for cement and aggregate, plus the Celsa facility in Cardiff which is the UK’s primary rebar supplier. There has been significant investment in region around the construction of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, meaning the region has expertise in complex steel and concrete structures. A small number of secondary steel providers and fabricators also exist in the region who could supply steel elements into steel and concrete platforms. With port investment to support localised steel platform assembly, a strategy to build UK supply of primary and secondary components into these assembly bases becomes viable. There is also potential to build links with steel production within the region and work with this industry to grow its capacity to supply required types of steel, as well as to make use of this existing regional expertise and skills base.
Â
Â
Â
The Celtic Sea, Floating Wind and Hydrogen
Â
Â
Â
Â