Llyr Wind Farm wins approval for Celtic Sea project, Wales 2026

Key Points

• The Llyr Offshore Wind Farm has been granted Section 36 consent by the new Welsh Government.
• The Llyr Offshore Wind Farm will be developed by Cierco Energy off the coast of Pembrokeshire in the Celtic Sea.
• It will be used for testing and demonstrating the offshore wind farm scheme in deep water conditions.
• About 2,000 jobs will be provided during its construction stage.
• More skilled jobs will be provided after it goes into operations.
• First production of power is now scheduled for 2031.
• In June, Natural Resources Wales gave the project a marine license.
• Cierco Energy won seabed rights in July via an Agreement for Lease from The Crown Estate.
• This consent is regarded as a significant step forward in building and the green energy plans of Wales.
• The development will contribute to offshore wind technology, engineering and other facilities including universities in South West Wales.

Wales (Wales Times) August 7, 2026 — The new Welsh Government has granted Section 36 consent to a major offshore wind project in the Celtic Sea, allowing the development to move towards construction.

The project is being developed by Cierco Energy off the Pembrokeshire coast. Around 2,000 jobs are expected to be created during construction, while first power generation is targeted for 2031.

The approval makes Llŷr the first major offshore wind project to receive consent from the new Welsh Government. It represents the latest stage in a process that has already included regulatory and seabed agreements required for the project to proceed.

Section 36 consent is a major planning approval for a large electricity-generating station. In the case of Llŷr, the decision enables Cierco Energy to progress from development and consenting work towards construction activity, although further project delivery steps will still be required before electricity can be generated.

The Welsh Government said the development marked an important milestone for Wales’ clean energy ambitions. The project is also being presented as an opportunity to strengthen Wales’ role in floating offshore wind, particularly in the Celtic Sea, where deeper waters create different technical requirements from traditional fixed-bottom wind farms.

Why is Llŷr Wind Farm significant?

Llŷr is not being presented as a conventional offshore wind farm. It is a test and demonstration project intended to trial offshore wind technology designed for deeper waters.

Traditional fixed-bottom offshore turbines are attached directly to the seabed. Floating offshore wind projects use floating platforms, making it possible to deploy turbines in deeper waters where fixed foundations can be more difficult or costly to install.

The Celtic Sea is considered a potential location for future floating wind development. The area off the coasts of Wales and south-west England includes waters where floating technology could allow developers to access stronger or more consistent wind resources farther from shore. However, projects in deeper waters require different engineering, installation, maintenance and grid-connection solutions.

Llŷr is intended to demonstrate how these technologies can operate in practice. The results could help inform the design and delivery of larger offshore wind schemes planned for the Celtic Sea in the years ahead.

The project’s role is therefore not limited to its own generating capacity. It is also linked to the development of technical knowledge and industrial capability within Wales and the wider UK offshore wind sector.

How many jobs could the project create?

Around 2,000 jobs are expected during the construction phase of Llŷr Wind Farm. Further skilled roles are expected once the project becomes operational.

The employment figure covers the construction period rather than permanent employment throughout the project’s entire operating life. The eventual number of long-term positions will depend on the final construction programme, supply-chain arrangements and activities required to operate and maintain the wind farm.

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Adam Price said major offshore wind projects could act as catalysts for economic growth and prosperity. He added that the Welsh Government would work with the company to ensure the development delivered high-quality jobs for people in Wales.

Mr Price linked the project to the Welsh Government’s wider mission to increase productivity. He also described the approval as a major milestone for Wales’ clean energy aspirations.

The construction phase could create opportunities for workers in engineering, marine operations, manufacturing, installation, project management and environmental services. Businesses involved in transport, fabrication, port operations and specialist equipment could also seek work connected with the development.

However, the precise distribution of jobs across Wales has not been set out. The number of roles available to local workers will depend on procurement decisions, skills requirements and how much of the supply chain is based in Wales.

What approvals has the project already received?

The Section 36 decision follows two other important steps. Natural Resources Wales granted Llŷr Wind Farm a marine licence in June, while Cierco Energy secured rights to use the seabed in July after signing an Agreement for Lease with The Crown Estate.

A marine licence is required for activities in the marine environment. It addresses matters associated with the construction and operation of marine infrastructure, including possible effects on the seabed, wildlife, navigation and other users of the sea.

The Agreement for Lease with The Crown Estate provides the project with the seabed rights needed to develop the scheme in the relevant area. Securing those rights does not mean that the project is already generating electricity, but it is an important part of establishing the legal and commercial basis for development.

The latest consent therefore completes another major stage of the project’s approvals process. The development must now move through the practical stages required for construction.

These stages may include final design work, financing, procurement, contracting, construction planning and coordination with grid and land-based infrastructure. No confirmed construction start date has been provided.

What has Cierco Energy said about the approval?

Cierco Energy chief executive Scott Harper welcomed the decision. He described securing Section 36 consent as a significant achievement for both Llŷr and Wales.

Mr Harper said the project could help position South West Wales as a global hub for offshore wind innovation, advanced engineering and clean energy expertise. He also said the development could create opportunities for local businesses, ports, universities and the wider supply chain.

Cierco Energy expects the project to build capabilities that could support future large-scale deployments and international growth. The company’s focus on a test and demonstration project places Llŷr within the technology-development stage of the wider floating wind industry.

The company was established in 2001 and specialises in developing offshore wind technologies. Its comments identify several potential areas of economic activity, but they do not guarantee that all future work will be undertaken locally or that every anticipated supply-chain opportunity will be secured by Welsh businesses.

The actual benefits will depend on how contracts are awarded, the number of Welsh companies involved and whether local workers have access to the training required for specialist offshore roles.

What concerns have been reported about the decision?

Concerns were raised during the planning process about the individual and cumulative effects of Llŷr and other floating wind projects.

Cumulative impacts refer to the combined effects of multiple developments in the same area, rather than the effects of one project considered separately. For offshore wind, such assessments can include possible effects on marine habitats, birds, marine mammals, fishing, shipping, navigation, visual character and other sea users.

The planning process considered those concerns before the Welsh Government granted consent. The decision means that ministers concluded the project’s benefits for Wales and national clean-power objectives outweighed the negative effects identified during the assessment.

The approval does not remove the need for environmental monitoring or compliance with planning and marine conditions. The construction and operation of the project will remain subject to the requirements attached to its consent and marine licence.

The development of floating wind in the Celtic Sea is expected to involve continued assessment and consultation. Each project will need to address its own environmental, marine and operational effects.

How does Llŷr fit into Wales’ offshore wind plans?

Llŷr is part of a broader expansion of interest in offshore wind around Wales. Welsh-linked projects, including RWE’s Awel y Môr and Blue Gem Wind’s Erebus, have also secured support through the UK Government’s offshore wind auction process.

Those projects are separate from Llŷr Wind Farm. Awel y Môr is a fixed-bottom project planned for waters off North Wales, while Erebus is a floating offshore wind test and demonstration project in the Celtic Sea.

The Welsh Government has identified the Celtic Sea as an area with potential for significant floating offshore wind development. A wider infrastructure assessment said future leasing activity could support several gigawatts of potential Celtic Sea floating wind capacity and create thousands of jobs.

Those figures relate to wider potential development and should not be treated as the capacity or employment total for Llŷr Wind Farm. Llŷr is one project within a larger emerging offshore wind market.

The Welsh Government has previously said offshore wind could contribute to its renewable energy and net-zero objectives. The approval of Llŷr gives the new administration a significant early infrastructure decision connected with those ambitions.

When could Llŷr Wind Farm begin generating electricity?

First power generation from Llŷr Wind Farm is targeted for 2031. A first-power target refers to the point at which the project is expected to begin producing electricity.

It does not necessarily mean that the full project will be completed or operating at maximum capacity on that date. The target remains dependent on progress through construction, equipment procurement, offshore installation, testing and grid-related work.

Delays can occur in major marine infrastructure projects because of supply-chain availability, weather, financing, consenting conditions or technical requirements.

No final generating capacity has been provided in the available project information. Published details have instead focused on the project’s test and demonstration role, its location, expected employment and target date for first generation.

What is the background to Wales’ floating wind development?

Wales has been developing a wider offshore wind strategy focused on increasing renewable energy production while securing economic benefits for coastal communities and industry.

The Celtic Sea has become a particular focus because floating wind technology may allow projects to be built in deeper waters. Such technology could expand the areas available for offshore wind development, although it also introduces engineering, maintenance and installation challenges.

In March 2023, the Welsh Government granted consent for Project Erebus, a separate floating wind farm located around 40 kilometres off the Pembrokeshire coast. The project was described as having seven turbines on floating platforms and a planned capacity of 100 megawatts.

The Welsh Government has also published an offshore wind action plan and a renewable energy sector deal intended to support the development of the sector in Wales. The plans focus on investment, skills, ports, supply chains and the contribution of renewable energy to national targets.

Llŷr’s approval follows this earlier policy and project activity. Its test and demonstration purpose means it is connected to the effort to establish whether floating offshore wind can be deployed at a larger scale in the Celtic Sea.

How could the approval affect offshore wind audiences?

For Welsh residents, the development could mean new employment and training opportunities, particularly in Pembrokeshire and other parts of South West Wales. Residents may also follow the project’s effects on local infrastructure, marine activity, environmental conditions and the distribution of economic benefits.

For Welsh businesses and workers, Llŷr could provide an early opportunity to participate in the floating offshore wind supply chain. Its test and demonstration role means that the skills and technical experience developed through the project could be relevant to future Celtic Sea developments.

For renewable energy observers, the approval indicates that floating offshore wind development in Welsh waters is moving from policy planning and early-stage consenting towards construction.

The impact will ultimately depend on whether Cierco Energy delivers the project, meets the 2031 target and demonstrates technology that can be used successfully in larger deep-water wind farms.