The Crown Estate has initiated steps to potentially unlock an additional 4GW of green electricity from several offshore wind farm projects currently in development.
This move aligns with the UK Government’s offshore wind target of achieving 50GW by 2030.
Developers of seven offshore wind projects have proposed increased capacity, considering advancements in offshore wind technology.
Gus Jaspert, Managing Director, Marine at The Crown Estate said: “These proposed capacity increases make use of seabed areas that have been previously granted rights, are not being fully utilised and may have limited options for alternative uses.
“We are therefore pleased to launch a process to examine whether this additional capacity can be made available in a way which remains true to our commitment to nature and biodiversity.”
Dan McGrail, Chief Executive of RenewableUK, said: “Maximising the amount of offshore wind capacity we can install in areas where leasing agreements are already in place is vital to get us closer to the government’s target of 50GW by 2030.”
