Mainstream Renewable Power is set to team up with Canadian-owned Maple Power for a tilt at the UK’s leasing tender for floating wind power seabed in the Celtic Sea off southwest England and Wales, becoming the latest big names to express interest in the round.
Mainstream – owned by Norway’s Aker Horizons – and Maple Power, a joint venture of Canadian energy group Enbridge and compatriot investor CPPIB, said they are “jointly exploring” the 4GW tender, which will be held in 2023 by UK seabed landlord The Crown Estate.
Mainstream was an early mover in UK offshore and is active in floating in South Korea via Aker Offshore Wind – its former sister company with which it recently merged – and its part ownership of platform pioneer Principle Power.
Maple Power also has a foothold in floating with the Provence Grand Large array currently under construction off France.
The UK has high hopes for the Celtic Sea as the next big frontier of offshore wind development to add to its fixed-bottom territories in the North Sea and off the nation’s northwest, with heavy emphasis on the need for successful bidders to commit early to investments in building a local floating supply chain.
The region is seen as offering potential to host around 25GW by 2045 and the impending first round has already attracted the interest of sector heavyweights such as RWE, Orsted, Shell, Corio and Equinor.
Tove Røskaft, head of offshore wind at Mainstream, said: “The Celtic Sea can play a leading role in reaching the UK’s Net Zero ambitions, while providing renewable energy for green value chains in Wales and beyond through its proximity to key industry.
“I believe Mainstream and Maple Power bring together highly complementary capabilities and experience which will support us well in our aim to bid on and develop floating offshore wind in the region.”
