A £60 MILLION green energy development in Pembroke Dock has been launched in the presence of Angela Rayner, Eluned Morgan and The Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP.
On Wednesday, August 21, the Deputy Prime Minister, Prif Weinidog and the Secretary of State for Wales officially launched the Pembroke Dock Marine development– a multi-purpose, future energy ready hub focused on innovation and operational efficiency.
Pembroke Dock Marine is funded by the Swansea Bay City Deal through the UK Government and Welsh Government, and through private investment by the Port of Milford Haven that will help drive Wales' ambition to become a global leader in clean energy.
The development has delivered new, world-leading port infrastructure in Pembroke Dock alongside Wales’ Marine Energy Test Area (META) and a Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence whilst advancing the potential of the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone - all with the aim of driving forward innovation and creating new opportunities for industrial growth. It has proven to be a pivotal collaborative programme and a beacon of success for the Swansea Bay City Region attracting the attention of global renewable energy investors and developers and providing a strategic platform for the Milford Haven Energy Cluster ambition and, more recently, the successful Celtic Freeport bid.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “Pembrokeshire’s long heritage of maritime excellence is leading the way for the future of the UK with the launch of this Pembroke Dock Marine programme.
“This is a major step towards us becoming a world leader in zero-carbon marine engineering and tackling climate change for a cleaner, greener, more ambitious future for us all. And a future where we see our bold ambitions on growth and jobs for and with every part of the UK go hand in hand with our ambitions on Net Zero and sustainable energy.”
Prif Weinidog Eluned Morgan said: “Supported by Welsh Government, it marks an important milestone in our journey towards realising the opportunities of floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea – and has real potential to generate high quality jobs and support sustainable economic growth. It also allows us to continue on our journey of tackling climate change together for a green and prosperous Wales.”
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens added: ”Wales is at the forefront of our ambitions for GB Energy and facilities like Pembroke Dock Marine will contribute to our net zero goals, bringing down energy bills and creating skilled jobs for the people of Pembrokeshire.”
The launch of Pembroke Dock Marine is the culmination of years of hard work to create a multi-purpose, future energy ready Port in Pembroke Dock, as Tom Sawyer, CEO of the Port of Milford Haven pointed out. As industry is increasingly attracted to these new facilities and services, the hub is expected to generate over 1,800 jobs. “But our ambition doesn’t stop here,” said the CEO; “we stand ready to make further investments to cater for the rapidly evolving demands of the green energy sector so that Wales reaps the benefits of this fledgling industry.“