The UK Government has claimed its new Marine Recovery Fund will “unlock” the deployment of up to 19GW offshore wind by driving nature recovery and speeding up consenting for new arrays.
Regulations were published earlier this month to give ministers the legal powers to establish the DEFRA-administered scheme to deliver strategic and co-ordinated environmental compensation measures.
Developers will be allowed to pay into the MRF to discharge planning conditions instead of negotiating environmental mitigation on a project-by-project basis.
A separate scheme is planned by Holyrood for wind farms in Scottish waters.
“We’re building the next generation of clean, homegrown power and boosting marine life through the Marine Recovery Fund,” said Marine Minister Emma Hardy.
“Offshore wind is pivotal to achieving Net Zero by 2050 and driving growth as part of our Plan for Change. Driving nature recovery and protecting the ecosystems that call Britain’s sea home is not a trade-off against clean energy, but a condition of delivery.”
RenewableUK Head of Offshore Wind added: “As responsible developers, the offshore wind industry has been working closely with our colleagues at Defra and nature conservation organisations for many years to establish this groundbreaking fund and we’re very pleased to see this milestone achieved.
“The MRF, paid for by offshore wind farm developers, will enhance the protection of wildlife in our seas by enabling more coordinated measures to be taken over much wider areas of seabed, across multiple offshore wind projects being developed by different companies.”