The Anonymous Widower

Blue Gem Wind

Principle Power are the designers of the WindFloat.

The Projects page of the  Principle Power web site led me to a project called Erebus. This is Principle Power’s description of the project.

The Celtic Sea, located between the United Kingdom and Ireland, holds an estimated 50 GW of offshore wind resource. The 96 MW Erebus project, located offshore Pembrokeshire, Wales, is a flagship project planned by Blue Gem Wind, a joint venture between Total and Simply Blue Energy, to unlock the potential of this region.

The project will feature between 7 and 10 turbines on WindFloat® floating platforms located approximately 44 km southwest of the Pembrokeshire coastline.

The Erebus project will see the deployment of a fully industrialized WindFloat® and represents a stepping stone that will allow the local supply chain to build capabilities for the delivery of larger projects under development in the Celtic sea region.

Note.

1. Developing 50 GW of offshore wind in the Celtic Sea is not a small amount of wind power.
2. The 96 MW Erebus project would appear to be the first project in the Celtic Sea.
3. The turbines would be between 9.5 and 14 MW.
4. The Principle Power website states that the water depth of the Erebus wind farm is seventy metres.
5. The deployment of a fully industrialized WindFloat.
6. The Erebus wind farm is being developed by Blue Gem Wind.

It would be larger than the current world’s largest floating wind farm, which is the Kincardine Wind Farm.

Who Are Blue Gem Wind?

Blue Gem Wind have a web site, with a picture of three turbines riding on WindFloats and a couple of support boats and this mission statement.

Floating Offshore Wind

A new generation of energy in the Celtic Sea

The Our Projects page shows a good picture and says this.

Floating wind is set to become a key technology in the fight against climate change with over 80% of the worlds wind resource in water deeper than 60 metres. Independent studies have suggested there could be as much as 50GW of electricity capacity available in the Celtic Sea waters of the UK and Ireland. This renewable energy resource could play a key role in the UK meeting the 2050 Net-Zero target required to mitigate climate change. Floating wind will provide new low carbon supply chain opportunities, support coastal communities and create long-term benefits for the region.

A header indicates a stepping-stones approach to assist the local supply chain and says this.

We believe that a stepping stone approach to the development of floating wind in the Celtic Sea brings a number of benefits. Starting with smaller demonstration and early-commercial projects, increasing in size, will help to capture the highest local supply chain content. It will also maximise knowledge transfer and facilitate a sustainable transfer to a low carbon economy.

Because of this focus on stepping stone projects we have proposed Erebus, a 96MW test and demonstration project followed by Valorous, a 300MW early-commercial project.

These links give more details of the two projects.

• Erebus – 100MW Test & Demonstration project in the Celtic Sea
• Valorous – A 300MW Early Commercial project in the Celtic Sea

It appears that the company is taking a sensible approach.

• They are starting small and building up deployment.
• They are using proven WindFloat technology.
• They are developing a local supply chain.

This Google Map shows the area of the two wind farms.

Note.

1. Pembroke in the middle at the top of the map.
2. Barnstaple and Bideford in Devon in the South-East corner of the map.
3. Lundy Island off the Devon coast.

I estimate that the two wind farms will be about the Western edge of this map, with Erebus to the North of Valorous. They wouldn’t want to be too far to the West, as that would put them in the shipping lanes between Ireland and France.

Will The Turbines Be Assembled In The Milford Haven Waterway?

This Google Map shows the Milford Haven Waterway.

Note.

1. Pembroke Dock, where Blue Gem Wind has its offices, is at the Eastern end of the map.
2. The oil refineries and LNG terminals.
3. Milford Haven on the North side of the waterway.
4. The 2.2 GW gas-fired Pembroke power station on the South side of the waterway.
5. The ferry route between Rosslare and Pembroke Dock.

But as the waterway is one of the deepest natural harbours in the world, I wouldn’t be surprised to find, that the turbines will be lifted on to the WindFloats in this waterway.

The turbines would be brought in by sea and the WindFloats would be towed in from their manufacturing site.

Where Will The WindFloats And Turbines Be Built?

There could be enough space to build the WindFloats in the Milford Haven Waterway, but I suspect they will be built in a shipyard, which is close to a supply of steel. South Wales is an obvious possibility.

I estimate that for the two wind farms between twenty-eight and forty turbines would be needed and these would probably be brought in by sea and then lifted onto the WindFloats somewhere in the Milford Haven Waterway.

It could be a very efficient process.

Will Pembroke Power Station Have A Future Role?

Consider.

• Pembroke power station is the largest gas-fired power station in Europe.
• It has a capacity of 2.2 GW.
• It was only completed in 2012, so it has many years of life yet!
• It is also probably young enough, to be able to be converted to run on hydrogen.
• It obviously will have a very good connection to the National Grid.

I would suspect that initially, the power cable from Erebus and Valorous, would use the same grid connection as the power station.

But in the future there must be some interesting ways that the wind farms and the power station can work together.

• A large electrolyser could be built to create hydrogen for heavy transport and industrial uses, from excess electricity.
• Could the oxygen from the electrolyser be used for steelmaking in South Wales?
• As natural gas is phased out the power station could be converted to hydrogen power.
• In times of low wind, the power station could make up the shortfall.
• The wind farms could be used as the primary electricity source, with the power station adding the extra power needed to meet demand.

There are certainly ways, the wind farms and the power station can work together.

Conclusion

These two related wind farms seems a good way to start wind developments between the UK and the island of Ireland.

March 29, 2022 Posted by AnonW | Energy | Blue Gem Wind, Celtic Sea, Erebus Wind Farm, Island Of Ireland, Kincardine Wind Farm, Offshore Wind Power, Principle Power, Valorous Wind Farm, Wales, Wind Power, WindFloat | 3 Comments