Crown Estate’s Revenue From Existing Offshore Wind Farms 20 Pct Higher, Operating Profit Dips As Round 4 Projects Enter Construction Phase
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The Crown Estate reported a decline in annual operating profit to GBP 1.2 billion (approximately EUR 1.4 billion) from GBP 1.4 billion (approx. EUR 1.6 billion) in the previous year due to lower offshore wind Round 4 option fee income, as the Round 4 projects started entering the construction phase. Excluding the Round 4 option fees, operating profit rose 5 per cent to GBP 370 million (approx. EUR 435 million), while revenue from existing offshore wind farms increased 20 per cent to GBP 117 million (approx. EUR 138 million)
These four paragraphs add more details.
Over the year, the Crown Estate returned GBP 487 million (approx. EUR 573 million) to HM Treasury, bringing total contributions to GBP 5.1 billion (approx. EUR 6 billion) over the past decade, according to its financial report released on 25 June.
Alongside the financial results, the UK seabed manager highlighted that offshore wind capacity in its waters has reached 13 GW, up from 12 GW, with 36 wind farms now operating in its marine portfolio.
The pipeline of offshore wind capacity has increased to 56 GW, with an expanding offshore leasing and development programme as early Round 4 projects enter construction.
In the Offshore Wind Seabed Leasing Round 4, held in 2021, the Crown Estate selected six projects, which signed their Agreements for Lease in 2023, kicking off the three-year period during which the developers were paying annual option fees.
In Offshore Wind In 2030 – Calculated June 2026, I showed that the offshore wind capacity will have increased to 56 GW, sometime in 2031-2032.
How Much Income Will There Be In 2027-2032 from UK Wind Farms?
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this answer.
UK wind farm industry revenues are forecast to surpass £6 billion annually heading into 2027, driven by expanding capacity and inflation-adjusted contracts. Between 2027 and 2032, overall sector income will scale rapidly as capacity aims to double and up to £5 billion is pumped into the supply chain.
The economic landscape for UK wind generation features the following financial projections and parameters:
Industry Revenue & Growth: The UK wind power generation market is projected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of over 15% through 2031. The rapid expansion of both onshore and offshore capacity will push total market revenues well into the double-digit billions by 2032.
Contract for Difference (CfD) Revenues: Wind farms are heavily shielded from market volatility by index-linked strike prices. For instance, recent offshore projects have secured delivery rates as low as $37.35 per megawatt-hour (MWh). Conversely, older assets are transitioning out of initial subsidy schemes, moving into merchant wholesale pricing or new contracts by 2027.
Macroeconomic Contribution: Every additional gigawatt (GW) of offshore wind capacity adds an estimated £2 billion to £3 billion to the wider UK economy.
The Crown Estate Earnings: Acting as the UK seabed manager, The Crown Estate generates significant income from offshore wind leasing, having reported operating profits of over £1.2 billion and planning to retain up to 60% of its revenue to reinvest in the energy sector.
Landowner & Community Economics: For utility-scale farms, participating landowners generally earn between 5% and 6% of the annual turnover from wind farms, equating to around £40,000 per year for a single large turbine. Domestic turbines can earn up to £702 annually under the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), depending on the specific supplier tariff.
I believe that with a similar growth of solar energy, the renewable energy produced in the UK in 2032 will be beyond our wildest dreams.
Was There Often A Barrel Of Beer Available In Places Like Foundries, Where The Work Was Hot And Hard?
Readers of The Times has been discussing electrolytes in this hot weather and especially the possibility that beer contains electrolytes.
This was posted.
My elder father informed me yesterday his fridge is full of alcohol free Erdinger wheat beer. It is marketed as good for replacing electrolytes.
So there could be something in it.
At the moment, as I type this the temperature is 35.5 degrees and the humidity is 26%, so I’m finishing off last night’s bottle of Adnam’s Ghost Ship Alcohol-Free 0.5 % Beer.
I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this post and received this reply.
Yes. In heavy industries like foundries, glassworks, and steel mills, consuming large volumes of liquid was a medical necessity to replace what was lost to sweat. Historically, workers frequently supplemented their diets with beer—sometimes supplied by the company, sometimes delivered by local pubs, and sometimes factored into their pay.
Historical Context & Working Conditions
The Thirst Quenchers: In sweltering industrial environments where temperatures could exceed \(65^{\circ }\text{C}\) (\(150^{\circ }\text{F}\)), workers suffered massive fluid loss. A furnaceman or steelworker could sweat out up to twenty pints a day.
The “Beer Allowance”: In places like Britain’s steelworks in Sheffield, it was customary for workers to receive a weekly beer allowance—sometimes up to forty pints—often supplied directly to the sweltering factory floor via young workers known as “bucket boys”.
Liquid Nutrition: Before the advent of modern refrigeration and reliable municipal water, low-alcohol table beer provided crucial calories and hydration without the risk of waterborne illnesses. It was treated more like a food source than an intoxicant.
The Shift to Modernity
The Temperance Movement: The availability of alcohol at work gradually changed during the 19th and 20th centuries. The rise of the Temperance Movement and stricter workplace safety regulations meant that by the mid-to-late 20th century, foundries began phasing out alcohol in favor of safer, hydration-focused alternatives.
Modern Replacements: Today, foundries and heavy industries prioritize hydration through water, electrolyte replenishment, and salt tablets rather than on-site alcohol.
I should say, the following.
- My paternal grandfather was an alcoholic and it eventually caused his early death at around 40.
- I lose a lot of water through my skin. See My Strange Skin.
- I’ve always preferred beer to any other drink. But I’ve never had an alcohol-related problem.
So do I drink beer and usually real beer because of its electrolytes?
The Anonymous Widower 