Developers Vattenfall and ScottishPower Renewables are eyeing over 5GW of new offshore wind farm projects off the UK coast.
The Crown Estate has signed off on final plans for Round 3 offshore wind farms with a number of zones also being reconfigured.
SPR has committed to two new up to 800MW projects in the East Anglia zone, EA2 and EA1 North.
These are in addition to its up to 1.2GW EA3 and the 714MW EA1 which notched a positive final investment decision in February.
Vattenfall — which agreed with SPR to split the zone originally awarded to both companies — is looking to develop two 1.8GW projects in the northern end of the East Anglia zone off the Suffolk coast.
One of the projects, currently known as Tranche 1, includes part of the seabed previously identified as East Anglia 4.
Elsewhere, in the Hornsea zone, Dong has settled on three further phases in addition to its 1.2GW Hornsea 1 as part of the licensing round.
These include the already announced 1.8GW Hornsea 2 and a new configuration for the 1.2GW Hornsea 3. Under the plans, the latter will be split into two wind farms: a third phase to the east of Hornsea 2 with Hornsea 4 to be located to the west.
Dong said it decided on the new alignment “after taking into consideration the sizes and split-location of the original project three area”.
It said the timeline for each project depends on a number of factors and these will be confirmed “in due course”.
Crown Estate energy director Huub den Rooijen said: “Today’s announcements are another important step for the offshore wind sector on its path to becoming a large-scale, affordable and reliable power source.
“With the industry on track to supply 10% of the UK’s electricity demand by 2020, these infrastructure projects will contribute to its continued growth into the 2020s.”
Image: Kentish Flats offshore wind farm (Vattenfall)
