June 17, 2026 - 228 views
Wales is “open for business” when it comes to offshore wind and the sector’s potential to deliver jobs, investment and prosperity, according to the Welsh Government’s new minister responsible for energy.
Speaking at the Global Offshore Wind 2026 conference, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy Adam Price said offshore wind has a crucial role to play in Wales’ economic future and could help transform coastal communities across the country.
The conference, hosted by RenewableUK in partnership with the Global Wind Energy Council, brought together industry leaders to discuss the future of offshore wind and the opportunities it presents.
Mr Price said the Welsh Government wants to build a collaborative relationship with the offshore wind industry, alongside key partners including the UK Government and The Crown Estate, as part of efforts to reduce Wales’ productivity gap with the rest of the UK.
“I believe that the offshore wind sector has the potential to deliver high quality sustainable career opportunities for people in Wales, which directly aligns with our productivity mission and retaining value for Wales,” he said.
“The offshore wind sector has a key role to play in bringing about the regeneration of coastal communities in both north and south Wales.”
Wales currently has three operational offshore wind farms generating a combined 726MW of electricity, including the Gwynt-y-Môr wind farm off the North Wales coast, one of the largest offshore wind farms in Europe.
The minister said the Welsh Government’s role is to remove barriers facing the industry, including planning, infrastructure and access to finance, while ensuring decisions are made quickly.
“Our role is to remove the blockers faced by the sector – whether in planning, access to finance or infrastructure. We will focus on getting things done at pace and working collaboratively with the relevant organisations to make things happen,” he said.
As part of efforts to shape a new National Energy Strategy, the minister has begun a series of industry roundtable discussions, starting with offshore wind and later expanding to onshore and marine renewable technologies.
Highlighting the benefits already being delivered in North Wales, Mr Price pointed to the success of Port of Mostyn, which has become a major hub for offshore wind development.
“The Port of Mostyn is one of the biggest successes of Wales’s offshore wind sector with commercial-scale experience,” he said. “It has contributed to the build-out of seven fixed-bottom offshore wind projects and has created 240 highly skilled jobs for Wales.”
The minister also welcomed the UK Government’s commitment of up to £64 million to support the development of Port Talbot as a key base for the emerging floating offshore wind industry in the Celtic Sea.
RenewableUK Cymru said offshore wind represents one of the biggest economic opportunities Wales has seen in decades.
Jessica Hooper, Director of RenewableUK Cymru, said the sector could generate almost £5 billion for Welsh businesses over the next decade while supporting more than 3,000 long-term jobs.
“Offshore wind is Wales’ next big industrial opportunity - from ports to production lines, powering a new wave of Welsh industry,” she said.
She added that investment in infrastructure, streamlined planning processes and a supportive business environment would be essential if Wales is to maximise the benefits of future offshore wind developments.
“We look forward to working in partnership with the new Welsh Government and putting the right conditions in place so Wales can play to its strengths and play a leading role in the next exciting chapter of offshore wind development.”
With major projects planned in both the Irish Sea and Celtic Sea, industry leaders believe offshore wind could become a cornerstone of Wales’ economic growth strategy while helping deliver the transition to cleaner energy.
