Welsh Government invests £8m in offshore wind technology firm

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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The Welsh Government has invested £8 million in a Swansea-based renewable energy company developing technology designed to unlock offshore wind generation in deep water.

The funding has been awarded to Marine Power Systems (MPS), a developer of floating wind technology, to support the commercialisation of its turbine platform and help position Wales as a hub for next-generation offshore wind development.

MPS is developing technology aimed at tapping offshore wind resources in deeper waters, where conventional turbine foundations cannot operate.

Industry estimates suggest that around 80% of the world’s offshore wind resource is located in waters too deep for traditional fixed-bottom platforms.

The company will use the funding to support the rollout of its PelaFlex floating wind turbine platform, which is designed to operate in water depths beyond 60 metres.

Alongside technology development, the investment is also intended to help lay the groundwork for a large-scale manufacturing facility in Wales.

The project is expected to create high-value jobs while strengthening domestic supply chains connected to the offshore wind sector.

The funding follows recent successes for Welsh projects in the UK’s Contract for Difference auction rounds, part of broader efforts to build a supply chain capable of supporting offshore wind developments, including those located further offshore in deeper waters.

Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Energy at the Welsh Government, said: “This investment in Marine Power Systems is another exciting step in Wales’s journey to becoming a global leader in offshore wind.

“Alongside major projects like Awel y Môr offshore wind farm and Erebus floating wind project, supporting innovative companies like Marine Power Systems helps us build a high-value supply chain, creates skilled jobs and helps us meet global and national net zero targets.

“We have the talent, the technology and the ambition — and this funding helps turn that ambition into reality.”

Dr Gareth Stockman, chief executive of Marine Power Systems, said: “This investment from the Welsh Government is a powerful vote of confidence in Marine Power Systems, our technology and our team.

“PelaFlex is designed to unlock deep-water offshore wind, where the majority of the world’s wind resource lies.

“With this support we can accelerate commercialisation, scale deployment and position Wales as a global centre for deep-water wind innovation and manufacturing.

“It’s a catalytic step toward making deep-water offshore wind a practical reality at industrial scale.”