Ocean Winds enters agreement for lease for Celtic Sea floating windfarm 

In November 2025, Ocean Winds was selected as the preferred supplier for the site in the Celtic Sea following a direct award process in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. It will join Equinor and Gwynt Glas – a joint venture between EDF Power Solutions and ESB – in progressing the development of some of the world’s largest floating windfarms.

The three sites awarded as a result of Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 lie off the coasts of south Wales and southwest England. Each has a capacity of up to 1.5 GW. The Crown Estate said full delivery of the sites could support the creation of more than 5,000 new jobs and deliver a £1.4Bn (US$1.9Bn) boost to the UK economy.

Ocean Winds will now focus on developing its project designs, delivering onshore and offshore site surveys, environmental impact assessments, public engagement and securing planning consents. Once these initial requirements have been completed, it can apply to obtain a lease from The Crown Estate to build and operate the windfarm, which could be operational by the mid-2030s.

Ocean Winds will be subject to the same industry-leading contractual commitments within its agreement for lease as Equinor and Gwynt Glas, delivering a range of social, economic and environmental measures over the lifetime of their projects. 

The Crown Estate head of offshore wind Julia Rose said, “Round 5 is such an exciting opportunity to establish an innovative new technology at commercial scale in the UK, supporting many new jobs while also contributing to our national energy security and clean energy transition.

“Ocean Winds entering into an agreement for lease for their site in the Celtic Sea is a significant moment and testament to the attractiveness of the UK’s world-leading offshore wind sector. We’re delighted they have achieved this milestone and look forward to working closely with them as they begin their development stage.”

Ocean Winds UK country manager Adam Morrison said, “Signing the agreement for lease for the Celtic Sea site demonstrates our commitment to the development of commercial-scale floating offshore wind in the UK. Over the coming years, we will begin early-stage development work, engaging with local stakeholders to identify opportunities to deliver lasting benefits to our local communities while supporting the UK’s energy security and net-zero objectives.”