The UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is to lead a review into the existing offshore transmission regime to address the barriers it creates for future offshore wind deployment.
Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng launched the review today at a meeting of MPs and industry stakeholders.
The current OFTO regime dates back to 2009, but appetite for offshore wind has since swollen to reach a target of 40GW by 2030.
“In the context of increasingly ambitious targets for offshore wind, constructing individual point to point connections for each offshore wind farm may not provide the most efficient approach,” BEIS said.
The department added that persisting with the existing system could become “a major barrier to delivery given the considerable environmental and local impacts, particularly from the associated onshore infrastructure required to connect to the national transmission network”.
The review will see a medium-term workstream focus on projects due online before 2025.
This workstream will consider how to give offshore developers the regulatory flexibility to test new ways of bringing power to shore.
It will also assess the feasibility and cost of a centrally delivered grid to facilitate 40GW of offshore wind in 2030.
A long-term workstream will look at projects due online post-2030 as it seeks to create a “new enduring regime” for connecting offshore wind projects in a way that limits their environmental, social and economic costs, BEIS said.
This workstream will consider the role multi-purpose hybrid interconnectors between the UK and neighbouring markets can play in delivering net zero emissions by 2050.
The Crown Estate director of energy minerals and infrastructure Huub den Rooijen said: “We recognise the need for a more coordinated approach to the transmission system both onshore and offshore.
“We are committed to working with government and other strategic partners to help ensure the sustainable and responsible development of our nationally important wind resources”.
Minister Kwarteng will chair several roundtables with external stakeholders during the review.
The government will put forward a new approach in 2021 and will publish an update on its progress by the end of the year.
“The UK’s 2030 offshore wind target requires a step-change in the way offshore generation and transmission is planned, developed and connected,” said Jonathan Brearley, chief executive officer at energy regulator Ofgem.
“This will help our world leading offshore wind sector to increase capacity and Britain achieve net zero emissions whilst ensuring the cost to consumers is minimised”.