Blue Gem Wind, the joint venture between Total and Simply Blue Energy, a project developer for the Celtic Sea blue economy, has awarded a million-pound contract to UK manufacturer, Rovco.

Rovco will begin survey work on Erebus, a planned floating 96MW offshore wind farm 45 kilometers off the Pembrokeshire coast in August.

The survey will consist of a comprehensive geophysical and environmental site analysis to determine the conditions of the seabed and sub-surface at both the wind farm and along future cable routes to shoreline.

“We are delighted to have awarded this contract to a very capable UK company local to our project in the Celtic Sea. We want to ensure the local supply chain is involved as much as possible. It is also positive to see low carbon value creation is continuing during the difficulties of COVID19.”

Hugh Kelly, project managing director.

“We are very excited to be working on the Consenting Survey and to help Blue Gem Wind inform the design of this Floating Offshore Wind Farm. We have been supporting the Offshore Energy sector across the entire lifecycle, utilising our in-house technology, and to be awarded this project, is a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication. We are aware of the exponential growth to be seen in the sector, and look to provide a top-end service, and be a key asset of the local supply chain for future site investigation survey projects across the UK from our Bristol and Edinburgh locations.”

Brian Allen, CEO, Rovco.

Floating wind has wide potential, opening up more offshore access to locations that have less impact on the environment and coastal activities, and benefiting from higher wind energy. The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult has reported in a recent study that as much as 50GW of electricity capacity could be available in the Celtic Sea and predicted that the first GW of floating wind will potentially generate more than 3,000 jobs and £682 million of supply chain opportunities for Wales and Cornwall by 2030.