The UK government has unveiled measures to unlock up to 13 offshore wind projects, which could generate up to 16 GW of electricity and potentially bring GBP 20 billion (approximately EUR 23.9 billion) to GBP 30 billion (about EUR 35.8 billion) of investment in homegrown clean power.
According to the UK government, ministers are streamlining the consenting process to accelerate the construction of offshore wind projects. As set out in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ growth speech, this will hasten the delivery of vital infrastructure projects and unlock growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change while protecting nature and the environment.
The government plans to eliminate obstacles that have delayed or blocked the development of offshore wind projects by designating new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) or extending existing MPAs to compensate for impacts to the seabed.
This should prevent delays that have previously resulted from insufficient environmental compensation being agreed upon while protecting the marine environment and contributing to the government’s commitment to protect 30 per cent of its seas for nature by 2030.
“These changes show we can make significant progress in expanding homegrown British clean power in a way that protects vulnerable sea life,” said Emma Hardy, Minister for Water and Flooding.
“I can announce that we are removing barriers to deliver 16 gigawatts of offshore wind by designating new marine-protected areas to enable the development of this technology in areas like East Anglia and Yorkshire,” said Reeves in a speech on economic growth on 29 January.
Any new designations of MPAs will follow the existing process required under legislation and will include consulting other affected industries and communities.
The new or extended MPAs will protect a range of marine habitats, with the cost of their designation and management funded by offshore wind developers through the Marine Recovery Fund, which will be launched later this year.
According to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, the changes are expected to be available to several projects, including those that received a seabed lease from The Crown Estate under Leasing Round 3 or 4, and the 2017 extensions round; projects in the current Leasing Round 5 in the Celtic Sea; associated transmission infrastructure projects; and projects that have already been granted consent but are unable to discharge their consent conditions or may require adaptive management.
RenewableUK welcomed the announcement of this fund. According to the organisation, the fund will enable measures to be delivered more strategically, for example across multiple projects being developed by different companeis in the same area of seabed.
“Instead of each wind farm setting out its own measures to protect marine wildlife, they will now contribute into a dedicated collective fund. This system provides greater certainty for wind farm developers, as well as strategic and co-ordinated action to support the natural environment. A win-win for nature, the economy, billpayers and the planet,” said Kat Route-Stephens, RenewableUK’s Environment and Consenting Co-Programme Manager.
Source: offshorewind.biz
