A new offshore wind leasing round in UK waters could release around 6GW of new projects, according to the Crown Estate.
The seabed landlord, which outlined its vision at recent stakeholder events, said the zones would help support the sector’s aim to hit a 30GW target of installed capacity by 2030.
Up to 18 ‘favourable’ resource areas, totalling between 6GW and 7.5GW, have been identified off the east, south and west England, as well as off Wales and Northern Ireland.
All may be open to tender but “some are quite constrained”, Crown Estate told stakeholders and developers.
A final line up of regions will be nailed down with feedback from industry.
As part of the engagement events, the Crown Estate, which controls waters off England, Wales and Northern Ireland, has also proposed a developer-led leasing model open to both existing and new entrants.
Seabed data may also be shared with developers before leasing rounds, including a new “consent constraint model” that will highlight various constraints such as “existing infrastructure, environmental designations and other marine activity”.
This will help developers “reduce consenting risk”, said the Crown Estate, which will also undertake plan level habitat regulations assessment prior to agreements for lease being awarded.
“Early engagement with industry and stakeholders is a hugely important part of our work to explore the potential for new offshore wind leasing, helping to build a better understanding of the appetite for additional capacity and inform how a tender process might run,” said senior development manager Jonny Boston.
“The feedback we receive as part of this process will be vital, as we seek to balance a range of interests on the seabed and decide whether to bring forward additional rights for sustainable development offshore”.
The Crown Estate, which has yet to decide on holding the leasing round, ran discussion events in London this week, which were attended by over 100 industry representatives and 25 statutory stakeholders.
The seabed landlord said feedback will help inform a final decision on a proposed leasing round, including the location and nature of any seabed rights.
“The Crown Estate will consider all the feedback it receives from industry and statutory organisations on the evolving proposals, ahead of a decision being taken on opening a tender process for the award of new offshore wind rights,” it said.
“Ongoing engagement with wider stakeholders will continue in parallel.”
KPMG is the commercial advisor for the process with the Renewables Consulting Group taking a technical advisor role. HRA advisor is Niras while Hogan Lovells is the legal advisor.
A second phase of stakeholder and industry engagement is planned for the autumn ahead of a new right rounds that could begin in early 2019.
The Crown Estate is also assessing up to 3GW of potential new extension projects in UK waters as part of a separate leasing process.