Simply Blue Group congratulates Blue Gem Wind team on securing marine licence

In a press statement issued by Simply Blue Group on 23rd February 2023, Hugh Kelly, Co-Founder and Group Managing Director at Simply Blue Group said: “Congratulations to the Blue Gem Wind team on securing a marine licence for the 100MW Erebus project. The Blue Gem Wind team is a joint venture between TotalEnergies and Simply Blue Group and we are incredibly proud of what the project team and shareholders together have achieved in reaching this milestone.

Erebus will be Wales’ first floating offshore windfarm and a key enabler of floating wind in the Celtic Sea. It will allow the local supply chain to ramp up their capabilities to participate in the larger Celtic Sea projects which will follow. This, in turn, will allow the local regions to capture and not lose the huge economic dividends that floating wind offers. This is really exciting for the UK.

Simply Blue conceived Erebus over 5 years ago and we announced our JV with TotalEnergies in early 2020. It has been great working with our colleagues there and I believe that together we have created a fantastic model and example of successful collaboration.

We look forward to taking the next steps towards FID, COD and green electricity production. The support of the UK Govt through the upcoming CfD auctions remains vital to securing the leadership position that the UK has the opportunity now to take in floating. Erebus and projects like it are critical components in the race to secure supply chain opportunities and reduce the cost of floating wind as quickly as possible. With the Marine Licence granted, there is just one more piece of the puzzle to secure.”