Offshore Wind farm plan floated for Port Talbot
A plan for a wind farm just off the shore of Port Talbot has been floated by Associated British Ports, who own the site.
Associated British Ports owns five ports in the south of Wales but said that the deeper waters off the shore of Port Talbot would make it the best choice for such a scheme.
The plan also involves filling in parts of the current port in order to allow for the manufacture and assembly of the wind farms.
Andrew Harston, Director ABP Wales and Short Sea Ports said they were attempting to “sketch the outlines of what needs doing”.
“We need a new approach to realise the huge potential of Wales’ strategic port locations; to build the foundations of a new cycle of innovation and prosperity and time is of the essence,” he said.
“One of the key opportunities ABP is keen to seize is the potential to create a floating offshore wind (FLOW) centre of excellence in the Celtic Sea. The Port of Port Talbot is well positioned to do so and has the deep waters required. Port Talbot also has brownfield land ready for development, excellent rail connections, proximity to steel, marine and aggregates and access to thousands of skilled workers.
“The port of Port Talbot is currently predominantly used for imports of coking coal, minerals and ores for Tate Steel. ABP plans to work with the steel giant and others to make its vision a reality.”
Its report Future ports: Wales vision also applies to its ports in Swansea, Barry, Cardiff and Newport.
Chairman of the Tata Steel UK board, Sandip Biswas, said he was on board with the plan.
“The port is a vital connection for us allowing the direct import of raw materials for steelmaking,” he said.
“We are excited to see ABP developing its vision for the future and look forward to working closely with ABP to realise these plans. It is only by working together in partnership that we can all develop a better, more sustainable, world for the future.”
The full report can be read here.
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As long as nothing HARMS OUR BEAUTIFUL ABERAFAN BEACH!!!!!
I’m always cynical about grand schemes that will “…build the foundations of a new cycle of innovation and prosperity,,,” How many times have we heard these wonderful and ultimately meaningless phrases? Build and assemble turbines? FLOW is an untried and uncertain technology and presupposes that the skills are available here – since this is unproven they are in very short supply everywhere and are not available here. Assembling of imported parts might work, but that is all, the main skills of development and manufacture will be elsewhere. But worry not! Once the Welsh government hears “innovation,” neatly coupled with “green”… Read more »
What about the empty foreshore in front of TATS
Why don’t they ship all the people out of wales.and cover the whole of Wales in windmills and forestry and solar panels also our coustal waters in more windmills and all the money that is generated Go too the crown estates and keep England tidy come on wake up Wales
Go put them in surrey oh wait they’re an eyesore can’t have them there
Offshore wind farm floated …
We all saw what you did there!
Well let’s just spoil the views again with another wind turbine more visual pollution