Sumitomo Corp. acquires stake in Gwynt Glas offshore wind farm

The project involves the development, construction and operation of a floating offshore wind farm with a planned generation capacity of up to 1.5 GW, located around 40 km off the coast of the UK in the Celtic Sea.

The UK government has positioned offshore wind as a key large scale power source in achieving its Net Zero 2050 target. In particular, floating offshore wind is expected to unlock vast wind resources in deeper waters that are not suitable for conventional fixed-bottom wind turbines.

Since making its first investment in a European offshore wind project in 2014, Sumitomo Corp. has accumulated extensive expertise throughout the development, construction, and operation phases of offshore wind projects. This marks Sumitomo Corp.'s first participation in a floating offshore wind project. By working closely with partners with proven experience in developing floating offshore wind projects in Europe, Sumitomo Corp. will contribute to the advancement of the project.

In 2025, Sumitomo Corp. signed a comprehensive memorandum of understanding with the UK's Office for Investment under the Department for Business and Trade, now the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, to pro-mote business investment in the UK. This investment represents one of the concrete initiatives being undertaken under that framework. By working closely with the UK government and leveraging its expertise and global network, the company will contribute to the advancement of clean energy in the UK.

Jun Minase, General Manager, Overseas Energy Solutions SBU at Sumitomo Corp., said: “We are delighted to join the Gwynt Glas project. As a large scale floating offshore wind development being advanced by EDF power solutions UK and Ireland and ESB, the project represents an important opportunity to contribute to the energy transition. Leveraging our experience and expertise in both the UK market and the offshore wind sector, Sumitomo Corp. will work closely with its partners to support the successful development of the project and enhance its long-term value. The UK remains an important strategic market for Sumitomo Corp. Through this investment, we aim to contribute to the UK government's Net Zero 2050 ambitions while supporting the energy transition and the realisation of a more sustainable society.”

Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF power solutions UK and Ireland, added: “We are delighted to welcome Sumitomo Corp.to the Gwynt Glas team. Their extensive global experience in offshore wind development and investment complements our own and ESB’s, creating a powerful partnership dedicated to delivering this vital project for Wales and the UK.”

Jim Dollard, Executive Director, Generation Trading at ESB, concluded: “We are delighted to welcome Sumitomo Corporation to the Gwynt Glas project, and are looking forward to working with them together alongside our longstanding partners, EDF power solutions UK and Ireland. This marks another significant step at this stage of the project – one which is so important to us at ESB as offshore wind will be a cornerstone of the delivery of our net-zero carbon emissions strategy.”

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Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/10082026/sumitomo-corp-acquires-stake-in-gwynt-glas-offshore-wind-farm/