Darllen yn Gymraeg

Happy new year to one and all from the Awel y Môr team.
And what a busy year it’s shaping up to be!

Having secured our route to market, our attention is now focused on preparing for construction and making our final investment decision.

With a first round of archaeology and site investigations carried out, we’re now preparing to carry out a further round which will enable design refinements for the wind farm’s offshore array and cable route. In addition we will also be searching for more of the area’s archaeological history along the onshore cable route and substation in Cefn Meiriadog. 

In this newsletter you’ll find an update on plans for 2026, as well as information on our renewables challenge which we are carrying out in conjunction with Careers Wales, plus our ongoing engagement with the supply chain.

In addition to this newsletter, if you’d like to receive updates relevant to the supply chain, you may wish to subscribe to RWE’s STEP initiative.

Securing a route to market for the project via the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference auction round seven (AR7) means the project has cleared another major hurdle in its journey to delivery.

Philippa Powell, Project Lead for Awel y Môr, said: “With this successful Contracts for Difference award, one of Wales’ biggest renewable energy investments can now progress toward the next phase of development and delivery with confidence. 

“Having spent several years developing and refining our plan and building relationships with stakeholders and suppliers, our next steps will be to undertake additional onshore and offshore site investigations during 2026, ahead of planned onshore construction in 2027. 

“We will, of course, ensure that our local communities, suppliers and other relevant stakeholders remain fully informed as we progress.” 

The agreed Contract for Difference guarantees a minimum price of £91.20 per megawatt hour for the electricity generated: if the market price falls below this level, the government pays the difference, and if the market price rises above it, the developer pays back the surplus to the UK Government.

This compares to a price of £147 per megawatt hour, for any new gas generation capacity.

RWE’s Norfolk Vanguard East and Norfolk Vanguard West projects, as well as its two Dogger Bank South projects, all of which are located in the British North Sea, also achieved CfD success. 

Markus Krebber, CEO of RWE AG: “We are delighted to have been successful in securing long-term offtake contracts for five projects in AR7.  

“At Awel y Môr, we are proud to collaborate with Stadtwerke München and Siemens, who bring their expertise and commitment to our shared success.  

“With the successful outcome of AR7, RWE has reached key milestones in executing its UK offshore wind development pipeline.” 

Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, met with the Awel y Môr team alongside colleagues from the existing Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm, and RWE apprentices.

Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, said: “The development of the Awel y Môr  project is huge news for North Wales and will deliver more well-paid, highly-skilled jobs and growth to the local area.    

“The UK Government is working with investors to develop home-grown clean power which will secure our energy supply and bring down bills for good.  

“Wales is at the centre of this and projects like Awel y Môr will help us achieve those goals.” 

As the path to delivering a 50-turbine wind farm capable of powering more than 50 per cent of the homes in Wales is laid out, the team is securing the necessary marine licences from Natural Resources Wales to carry out surveys within the 78 sq km area off the north Wales coast within which the wind farm’s turbine array will be located, and the corridor of seabed set aside for the export cable route.

The geophysical and geotechnical are scheduled to begin in Spring and continue until Autumn.

The survey will involve undertaking 3D geophysical surveys across the array area and export cable corridor to inform water depths, seabed features, existing subsea infrastructure, and seabed hazards.  

The geotechnical survey will be carried out using two particular techniques: of cone penetration testing and vibrocore sampling, with both used across the array area and export cable corridor to inform further design decisions.

Once the data is gathered, it will be used to inform the wind farm’s final design as well as helping determine any other survey requirements before full offshore construction.

Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, with students undertaking RWE’s Renewables Challenge at Connah’s Quay High School 

Students at a high school in Flintshire are gaining valuable insight into the skills and knowledge needed to drive the green industrial revolution with the help of staff from RWE, Wales’ largest renewable energy generator.  

Year 9 pupils at Connah’s Quay High School have been given real offshore wind or industry challenges to investigate, presented as scientific or engineering challenges.  

Working in groups, they will carry out research and look at issues relevant to the renewables industry, such as: investigating ways to increase biodiversity around the foundations of offshore wind turbines; methods of monitoring local species like birds or marine mammals during development and construction, and other biodiversity considerations, with a focus on the coastline locally in north Wales.  

All of the lesson plans have been designed to meet Welsh curriculum requirements, encouraging pupils to develop key workplace skills in research, cooperative working, problem-solving and presenting skills, amongst others.   

Poppy Tremayne, Stakeholder and Skills Manager for RWE, said: “There are so many different skills needed to develop, build and operate renewables projects like offshore wind farms. There are those out in the field carrying out surveys, desk-based engineers working in the development and operations phases of a project, and the technicians that head out on the waves to inspect and maintain our wind turbines.   

“Giving students a taste of what is out there for them is hugely important. According to the most recent industry figures, the offshore wind industry’s UK workforce grew by 24 per cent from 2023 into 2024, and around 40,000 new jobs are set to be created before 2030. 

“With projects like Awel y Môr planned for the sea off the coast of North Wales, there is real opportunity for sustainable careers open to students like these here in Flintshire and across north Wales, as they move through their high school years and learn about steps into industry from there.”  

The Renewables Challenge was developed by the team working on the RWE-led Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm, in hand with the high school, and with support from Careers Wales. 

Minister for Skills and former Connah's Quay High School student, Jack Sargeant  MS, said: "It's brilliant to see students at my old school getting hands-on experience with the green skills that will power Wales's future. Initiatives like the RWE Renewables Challenge are exactly what we need to prepare our young people for the thousands of quality jobs being created in renewable energy across Wales.   

“By connecting classroom learning with real industry opportunities, we're giving students in North Wales a clear pathway into sustainable careers on their doorstep."

One of RWE’s apprentices working on a turbine at Coleg Llandrillo 

Applications are now open for RWE’s award-winning wind turbine technician apprenticeship.

The scheme, developed with Coleg Llandrillo, provides the opportunity to enter the growing world of renewable energy, and to earn whilst learning.

The apprenticeship combines practical training with technical education, offering the opportunity to work alongside experienced technicians, while completing academic qualifications. 

When not undertaking college-based work, successful applicants will be based on-site at a UK wind farm, with applicants able to specify their preference.

Sites recruiting this year include Wales’ current largest wind farm, Gwynt y Môr, which is serviced from the Port of Mostyn in Flintshire.

RWE has received approval to build a new onshore wind farm in north Wales capable of producing power equivalent to the needs of up to 70,600 homes

RWE’s Alwen Forest Wind Farm, the site for which sits across the boundaries of both Conwy County Borough and Denbighshire County councils, has been awarded consent for nine turbines of 200m in height, and which would be located close to the Alwen Reservoir.

Once fully constructed Alwen Forest would also contribute to targets for local ownership via a community benefit society, which is being developed by RWE in partnership with Community Energy Wales. 

With consent now in place, the project’s next steps are to secure a route to market pending a final investment decision with construction to follow, potentially beginning in 2027.

The scheme, developed with Coleg Llandrillo, provides the opportunity to enter the growing world of renewable energy, and to earn whilst learning.

The apprenticeship combines practical training with technical education, offering the opportunity to work alongside experienced technicians, while completing academic qualifications. 

When not undertaking college-based work, successful applicants will be based on-site at a UK wind farm, with applicants able to specify their preference.

Sites recruiting this year include Wales’ current largest wind farm, Gwynt y Môr, which is serviced from the Port of Mostyn in Flintshire.