Wind Energy – Investment
Japan’s Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO) has signed a share subscription agreement with the offshore wind development division of Ireland-based Simply Blue Group, Simply Blue Energy OSW.
This marks KEPCO’s first investment involving management participation in an offshore wind developer.
SBE OSW is actively engaged in multiple offshore wind projects across Europe and beyond, and has expertise in developing offshore wind projects from their earliest stages.
The investment will allow SBE OSW to speed up the growth of its offshore wind portfolio in Europe and elsewhere, while also helping KEPCO to gain more knowledge and experience in offshore wind development.
‘This investment represents a pivotal moment for us at Simply Blue Energy OSW Ltd. The support from KEPCO provides the strength and resources needed to scale our operations and advance our offshore wind initiatives. Together, we are poised to deliver significant contributions to the clean energy transition,” said Hugh Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Simply Blue Group.
Simply Blue Group is developing several offshore wind projects around Europe, including the 1.3 GW Emerald and Western Star projects in Ireland, in partnership with EDF Renewables.
Under the Kansai Electric Power Group’s Zero Carbon Vision 2050, KEPCO plans to develop 5 GW of new renewable energy capacity in Japan by 2040, bringing its total capacity to 9 GW.
In April, the company signed a strategic agreement with Iberdrola to co-invest in the 315 MW Windanker offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea.
