The Crown Estate is considering new leasing areas for offshore wind around the UK.
The seabed landlord said it will work with the offshore wind sector and stakeholders “over the course of 2018” to identify new sites.
Huub den Rooijen, the Crown Estate’s director of energy, minerals and infrastructure, said offshore wind is a “fantastic UK success story”.
“With costs continuing to come down at a pace and government looking at further opportunities for additional offshore wind deployment in the 2020s, it is the right time to consider what additional seabed rights may be needed to help secure the UK’s clean energy future.”
UK energy minister Richard Harrington added the announcement is an “important step” to adding “another 10GW” in the 2020s.
Further details are due to be announced in early 2018, the Crown Estate added.
Crown Estate Scotland, which manages the seabed off the Scottish coast, is also planning to start discussions with industry, government and other organisations to prepare for potential new offshore wind leasing.
The aim would be for new projects to start operating from the late 2020s and beyond, Crown Estate Scotland said.
Crown Estate Scotland senior development manager John Robertson said: “We have now started to consider if and how to issue new leasing rights for commercial-scale offshore wind projects.
“This will include speaking to local, Scottish and UK stakeholders in 2018 to understand their views on our proposed approach.”
Image: Crown Estate
Crown mulls offshore expansion
UPDATE: Scots seabed manager to work with industry on potential new leases
By EBS