Spotlight: Insights from Selin Nielsen, Communications and Stakeholder Director
This year marks a significant milestone for Cierco as we celebrate our 25th anniversary – a testament to our enduring commitment to innovation, partnership, and environmental leadership in offshore wind. Our roots in offshore wind trace back to 1990, when we led the construction of the very first offshore wind turbine – a pioneering step that continues to inspire our work today. From our founding vision to today’s achievements, our journey reflects the collective efforts of a dedicated team and a global network of partners.
At Cierco, we spearhead projects like Llŷr and CADEMO to drive innovation in floating offshore wind technology and cultivate the expertise needed for a clean energy future. Developing and demonstrating these solutions in the UK allows us to gain practical experience, set new industry standards, and prove that large-scale renewable energy is within reach. Now, as we bring this proven approach to the US – especially California – we unite global innovation with local talent to create jobs, enhance energy security, and help lead the world’s transition to renewable power.
Cierco is delighted to announce that our Llŷr Wind Farm projects in Wales’ Celtic Sea have received Consent from the Welsh Government. This recent milestone is not only a testament to industry ambition in the UK, but also a catalyst for accelerating floating offshore wind innovation worldwide – including here in the United States through the CADEMO project. Our progress is rooted in strong transatlantic collaboration. By learning from both UK and US experiences and embracing a spirit of partnership, we continue to accelerate innovation while fostering knowledge-sharing across borders. These international ties ensure that best practices and technological advances move swiftly from one market to another, multiplying impact for communities and the sector as a whole.
The successful consenting of The Llŷr Project highlights the power of test and demonstration projects to unlock opportunity, de-risk technology, and build local supply chains. These projects set a clear path for how permitting progress and industry partnerships can deliver clean, reliable energy at scale. For CADEMO, the lessons from Llŷr strengthen our approach: demonstrating advanced floating wind solutions, supporting workforce development, and ensuring that California remains a leader in the global energy transition. Test and demonstration projects like Llŷr and CADEMO give industry, communities, and policymakers the data and confidence needed to move from ideas to commercial reality. They provide hands-on experience, foster collaboration, and enable us to refine best practices on both sides of the Atlantic. For CADEMO, this means harnessing proven UK expertise to benefit US innovation, environmental management, and job creation.
With the momentum from major UK achievements, CADEMO is poised to deliver even greater results for California. Together, we are shaping the future of offshore wind – one milestone at a time. Cierco stands as a leading force in the development of floating offshore wind, operating front-line projects in both the UK and US that are setting benchmarks for innovation, scale, and environmental responsibility. Our commitment to advancing the floating wind sector is most evident in our test and demonstration projects, which are crucial for building the industry’s future.
The Llŷr Wind Farm, developed by Cierco in Wales’ Celtic Sea, exemplifies our approach, having been granted Consent by the Welsh Government – a milestone that signals both industrial policy and clean energy ambitions can be achieved in tandem. As The Welsh Government Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, has said: “Major offshore wind projects such as this important scheme can be catalysts for economic growth and prosperity. We will work with the company to ensure this project will deliver high-quality jobs to people in Wales, which directly aligns with our mission to boost productivity. This project marks a major milestone for Wales’ clean energy aspirations.”[1] Test and demonstration projects like Llŷr are essential for the global success of offshore wind. By enabling local supply chains to learn by doing, building capabilities, and reducing risk, they de-risk future commercial-scale deployments and foster regional growth. The Llŷr projects will generate enough clean energy to power around 200,000 homes and will serve as pathfinders for floating wind in deeper waters – unlocking stronger, more consistent wind resources while minimizing environmental impacts.
Environmental leadership is at the heart of Cierco’s approach. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) explicitly supports careful expansion of floating offshore wind as a way to shield marine wildlife from the ecological impacts of near-shore, fixed-bottom farms. Melanie Coath, Senior Policy Officer at RSPB, notes: “The RSPB is clear that continued Government support for carefully-planned renewable energy into the 2020s is critical to the UK’s long-term energy strategy. There is also an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of developing innovative technologies like floating turbines, which can open up new areas for wind energy with lower risks for wildlife.”[2] RSPB’s stance aligns closely with US environmental priorities. Floating platforms allow projects to be sited further offshore, where densities of protected seabirds are lower – de-risking wildlife impacts. The RSPB also calls for UK Government investment in test and demonstration projects to ensure future sites are informed by robust data and best practices.
Our US flagship, the CADEMO project, is California’s first floating offshore wind test and demonstration facility. Like Llŷr, CADEMO is designed to accelerate learning, workforce development, and environmental stewardship. CADEMO will validate deep-water solutions, stimulate local jobs, and provide a unique opportunity to monitor and learn from interactions with Pacific marine life – creating a pathway for responsible, large-scale floating wind deployment.
Cierco’s proven track record, technical expertise, and collaborative spirit make us a credible partner for US stakeholders. Our projects, from Wales to California, are delivering the lessons, benefits, and environmental insights needed to build a sustainable, globally relevant offshore wind industry.
[1] First offshore wind project approved by new Welsh Government | GOV.WALES