The Crown Estate is preparing the ground for new offshore wind leasing rounds in waters off England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The seabed lease manager said it favours a model where “developers identify sites within pre-defined but relatively wide regions of seabed”.
It has kicked off engagement with marine planning authorities but has yet to nail down locations for the scheme.
No overall scale of for the leasing round has been identified either with the quantum dependent on “attrition risk and 2030 market demand”.
“Our analysis to date is focused on fixed offshore wind as we anticipate that this will deliver the most competitive projects within the current policy context and therefore be the focus of market demand,” the Crown Estate said.
“We are also considering the tender process and key commercial terms for the leasing offer.”
It will run a series of engagement sessions during the summer 2018. A formal process for the lease round could kick off later this year or early next.
Crown Estate Scotland is also in the early stages of planning new leasing rounds for fixed and floating offshore wind in Scottish waters.
More details are expected from CES later this year with a potential round taking place in 2019.
Image: Crown Estate
Crown preps fresh offshore round
By EBS