The Crown Estate Bets on the Celtic Sea

The Crown Estate communicates about the UK government's Celtic Sea program to provide renewable energy.

Partagez:

The Crown Estate communicates about the UK government’s Celtic Sea program to provide renewable energy. The goal is to reach 4GW by the year 2035.

A region with great potential

The Crown Estate announces that the region has the economic potential to accommodate up to an additional 20GW by 2045. The program will boost the UK’s net zero ambitions and provide secure energy. In addition, the region will create jobs and investment in Wales and the South West of England.

The declaration allows potential developers to form consortia as well as prepare for the mid-2023 tender. The Crown Estate informs developers that they will provide a plan of their initial investment. The final award of a lease for each site will be based on the price quoted.

A precise procedure

The British government wants to speed up the leasing process, recognizing the importance of bringing floating wind into service quickly. It also carries out technical and environmental studies before obtaining authorizations. This allows it to provide data to successful bidders to accelerate their projects, potentially by several months.

Nicola Clay, Head of New Ventures Marine at The Crown Estate, announces:

“Recognizing the importance of a strong supply chain, we will ask bidders to present their supply chain plans as a key element of their bid. In an internationally competitive market, The Crown Estate will continue to facilitate investment in jobs, skills and infrastructure, so that communities around the Celtic Sea can benefit from the opportunities that a floating wind economy can generate.”

Following the July announcement of five broad “areas of search”, the UK government is now publishing refined “areas of search”. Thus, these are smaller areas of the seabed in which projects can be located in the future.

A local consultation

For the Crown Estate, zones 1 and 5 are not included in the study. However, five smaller sites appear in Zones 2, 3 and 4. These five sites will emerge in the coming months as potential project development areas.

The process ensures that developers have access to floating offshore wind locations that are expected to be feasible in the near term. The stakeholders are committed to maintaining a dialogue with fishing communities and environmental groups. The Crown Estate will also conduct technical and environmental studies prior to consent.

German operator Encavis AG strengthens its portfolio by acquiring two wind farms in Lower Saxony and Saxony, totalling 59 MW, in a transaction with Energiequelle GmbH, thereby expanding its renewable energy assets.
Ocergy officially launches an industrial project aiming to install by 2028 a new-generation floating wind turbine of over 15 MW, in partnership with EnBW, Kyuden Mirai, and TEPCO Renewable Power.
France officially commissions its first floating wind farm, consisting of three turbines with a combined capacity of 25 megawatts, introducing strategic technology in the Mediterranean, vital for national energy goals.
Inaugurated on 20 June, the five-turbine plant of wpd onshore France feeds 18 MW into the grid and unlocks new tax revenue for four Côtes-d’Armor municipalities.
Statkraft refocuses investments on flexible Nordic hydropower and reduces commitments in offshore wind and hydrogen to lower operating costs, amid an uncertain economic environment and pressured profitability.
Suzlon Group receives third consecutive order from AMPIN Energy Transition to supply 170.1 MW of wind turbines for a project in India's Andhra Pradesh state, strengthening their strategic industrial partnership.
The Muir Mhòr floating wind project secures Aberdeenshire's onshore consent, paving the way for the potential production of one gigawatt of electricity, enough to power up to 1.2 million British homes by the early 2030s.
Iberdrola España and Renfe conclude a virtual power purchase agreement for 370 GWh per year for ten years, strengthening the use of renewable energy in Spanish railway transport.
TotalEnergies has been awarded a concession in the North Sea enabling the development of a 1GW offshore wind project, reinforcing its strategic presence in Germany.
With an annual increase of 14%, global offshore wind capacity now reaches 85.2 gigawatts, driven mainly by China, the United Kingdom, and Germany, while another 27.3 gigawatts are currently under construction.
Seabed exploration begins in Jammerland Bay to validate the placement of sixteen turbines and the cable corridor, the first tangible step before construction of the project led by TotalEnergies and European Energy.
RWE and Østermark Entreprenørforretning celebrate advanced construction of the operational building for Denmark's largest offshore wind farm, promising up to 60 permanent local jobs by 2026.
RWE and Amazon Web Services enter a strategic collaboration to supply renewable energy for data centres and accelerate digital capabilities within the global energy sector.
SSE Renewables inaugurated its first wind farm in Southern Europe in Chaintrix-Bierges and Vélye, with eight Siemens Gamesa turbines and an investment exceeding €30mn ($32.3mn).
The Astenn Avel consortium, led by Elicio and Q ENERGY, brings in VALOREM to bid for the 500 MW floating wind project planned off the coast of Southern Brittany.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank supports the construction of the Mesgi'g Ugju's'n 2 wind farm, co-owned by Mi'gmaq communities and Innergex, through a combined equity and debt financing package.
The first turbine of the Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion project was assembled at Port-La Nouvelle, marking a major industrial milestone for Ocean Winds and its partners.
RWE inaugurated an onshore wind farm in Plounérin and Plounévez-Moëdec, featuring four turbines with a capacity of 14.7 MW, in partnership with the local SEM Lannion-Trégor.
The Moulins wind farm, made up of five turbines, was inaugurated on June 6 across three municipalities in the Douaisis region. It will generate €70,000 in annual tax revenue for local authorities.
Chinese firm SANY Renewable Energy enters Serbia through a 168 MW wind deal aimed at powering the local grid from 2028.