Wales sets sights on £4.8bn offshore wind boom with new action plan
Wales sets sights on £4.8bn offshore wind boom with new action plan
The Welsh Government has unveiled a new action plan aimed at turning its offshore wind potential into a long-term economic engine positioning the country to secure billions in investment and over 3,000 new jobs.
The plan, revealed during Wind Week by Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans MS, outlines a series of measures to accelerate offshore wind deployment while maximising local economic and social benefits.
With a pipeline of more than 15GW of offshore wind projects spanning Welsh, English and Irish waters, Wales is poised to play a central role in the UK’s clean energy future. The sector represents a £4.8 billion opportunity for Welsh businesses and could support 3,370 skilled jobs across supply chains, ports, and engineering.
“We’re driving forward the renewable energy revolution, ensuring that Wales remains at the forefront,” said Evans. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our ports, boost local industry and create thousands of high-quality jobs.”
The new plan was shaped by a task and finish group convened earlier this year, comprising of leaders from across the offshore wind ecosystem including developers, ports, manufacturers, and skills providers. The initiative was coordinated by Tim Pick, former UK Offshore Wind Champion.
Their goal: to identify the key enablers needed to maximise the economic value of offshore wind in Wales and ensure strong collaboration with the Crown Estate, UK Government, and industry partners.
Subscribe to the Businessin Wales daily newsletter for FREE here.
Key recommendations include:
- Creating a formal industry-government forum by autumn 2025 to align priorities and streamline collaboration across developers, public agencies, and local partners.
- Fast-tracking planning and consent processes through improved coordination, reducing costly delays for developers and providing greater clarity around requirements.
- Unlocking SME participation in the supply chain, with targeted support to connect local firms particularly in project management and engineering—to major offshore projects.
- Aligning skills development with industry demand, ensuring educational institutions and training programmes are equipped to deliver the talent needed in fields like turbine technology and high-voltage electrical systems.
- Strengthening links with key Welsh sectors, including integrating domestic steel and concrete industries into the fabrication of floating wind platforms and substructures.
The announcement builds on recent momentum in the Celtic Sea, where two developers were recently selected to deliver up to 3GW of clean energy, with the Crown Estate reaffirming its commitment to achieving 4.5GW of capacity.
The UK Government has pledged up to £80 million to support the redevelopment of Port Talbot, a move welcomed by Evans as a “catalyst for economic regeneration in our coastal communities.”
The plan has been welcomed by RenewableUK, which called it a “decisive and practical step” toward unlocking one of the UK’s biggest industrial opportunities.
“Offshore wind can transform Wales’ heartland sectors like steel and advanced manufacturing,” said Ajai Ahluwalia, Head of Supply Chain at RenewableUK. “Over the next decade alone, £32 billion in economic value is at stake. To unlock that, we must now move swiftly from planning to implementation and industry stands ready to deliver.”
With strong alignment now in place between industry and government, the spotlight turns to execution ensuring that Wales captures the full value of its offshore wind resources in the critical decade ahead.
