LONDON, UK, October 7, 2008. The British Crown Estate has issued an ‘Invitation to Negotiate’ to registered developers for the Round 3 offshore wind farm leasing programme for the delivery of up to 25 GW of new offshore wind by 2020.
So far, 96 UK and international companies have registered their interest in Round 3. Potential developers have been invited to bid for one or more of nine development zones identified through the Marine Resource System (MaRS) by the Crown Estate.
These zones will be finalised following the Government’s decision on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) being undertaken by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). Successful bidders will have exclusive rights to develop wind farms in specified zones in partnership with the Crown Estate.
Business Secretary John Hutton says: “The launch of the Crown Estate bidding competition is a huge opportunity for investors and developers to play a part in the renewables revolution sweeping the UK. Offshore wind could dramatically increase the amount of electricity generated in this country from clean, green sources.”
The selected partners will remain wholly responsible for construction and operation of wind farm sites. The Crown Estate will provide leases of the seabed to operators.
Round 3 builds on the 8 GW of offshore wind farm projects currently under development and to be delivered by Rounds 1 and 2 of offshore wind farm development. If successful, the addition of the capacity from Round 3 could lead to a potential total of 33 GW of wind energy coming from offshore wind resources.
The Crown Estate launched the Round 3 programme in June 2008 at the British Wind Energy Association’s (BWEA) offshore wind conference in London.
Renewable Energy Focus © Copyright 2008, Elsevier Ltd, All rights reserved.