UK Unveils Measures To Fast-Track 16 GW Of Offshore Wind
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The UK government has unveiled measures to unlock up to 13 offshore wind projects, which could generate up to 16 GW of electricity and potentially bring GBP 20 billion (approximately EUR 23.9 billion) to GBP 30 billion (about EUR 35.8 billion) of investment in homegrown clean power.
These paragraphs illustrate how thw the government propose to do it.
According to the UK government, ministers are streamlining the consenting process to accelerate the construction of offshore wind projects. As set out in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ growth speech, this will hasten the delivery of vital infrastructure projects and unlock growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change while protecting nature and the environment.
The government plans to eliminate obstacles that have delayed or blocked the development of offshore wind projects by designating new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) or extending existing MPAs to compensate for impacts to the seabed.
This should prevent delays that have previously resulted from insufficient environmental compensation being agreed upon while protecting the marine environment and contributing to the government’s commitment to protect 30 per cent of its seas for nature by 2030.
- The Government will be streamlining the consanting process.
- But will this streamlining just give more ammunition to the Nimbies?
- Will more compensation be paid and has Rachel from Accounts go it to spend?
- Designating new or redefining existing Marine Protected Areas (MPA).
- The wind farm developers developers will pay for the MPAs.
- Any new designations of MPAs will follow the existing process required under legislation and will include consulting other affected industries and communities.
Surely, if the developers pay for the MPAs, then the price of the energy produced will rise. But then I’m only following Sir Isaac!
We’ve seen streamlining and acceleration before and I can’t remember all of these actions producing positive results.
My feelings are the following should be done.
Fully back the development of the Port of Ardersier, as a floating wind farm production facility.
I discussed this in Redevelopment Of Scottish Port Begins As Owner Secures GBP 400 Million For Offshore Wid Upgrade.
1.1 GW Inch Cape Wind Farm Entering Offshore Construction Phase
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
ESB and Red Rock Renewables have reached a financial close on the 1,080 MW Inch Cape offshore wind farm in Scotland, and the project will now progress into its offshore construction phase.
Inch Cape will be a 1.1 GW wind farm, which as this web site/data sheet shows could be capable of generating enough green energy to power more than half of Scotland’s homes.
Highlights from the data sheet include.
- Represents an around £3 billion investment in the UK’s electrical infrastructure
- Will contribute significantly to the UK Government’s target of 50 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind installed capacity by 2030
- Constitutes 10% of the Scottish Government’s ambition of 11 GW of offshore wind installed by 2030
- As at Q1 2025, has already invested almost £300 million with 300 UK companies (more than £100 million in Scotland with 120 Scottish companies)
- Is set to spend a further (approx.) £700 million with UK supply chain (and create associated direct and indirect jobs)
- Efficient re-use of a brownfield site in East Lothian (of former coal-fired power station) including existing grid capacity and established transmission infrastructure
- The offshore substation is being built by Siemnens and Smulders at Wallsend on Tyneside.
- On track to deliver at least 50% UK content over life cycle of the project
- Will mean large investment in a new facility in the Port of Montrose and more than 50 long-term skilled local jobs
- Once operational the wind farm will reduce carbon emissions by 2.5 million tonnes per year compared to using fossil-fuels.
I like this project.
- It has a capacity of 1.1 GW.
- The turbines are 15 MW Vestas units.
- The connection to the grid is at the site of the demolished Cockenzie coal-fired power station.
- 50 % of the content of the £ 3 million project is British, spread among three hundred companies. That is certainly spreading the money around.
- I calculate that, when the turbines are fully turning, the Inch Cape wind farm will generate £ 44, 201.38 per hour or just over a million pounds per day.
I suspect we will be seeing lots more wind farms like this in the next thirty or forty years.
These are currently under construction.
- Neart Na Gaoithe – Scotland – 450 MW
- Sofia – England – 1400 MW
- Dogger Bank A – England – 1235 MW
- Dogger Bank B – England – 1235 MW
- Dogger Bank C – England – 1218 MW
- Moray West – Scotland – 882 MW
- East Anglia 3 – England – 1372 MW
- Total – 7792 MW
These are pre-construction.
- Hornsea 3 – England – 2852 vMW
- Inch Cape – Scotland – 1080 MW
- Total – 3932 MW
These are proposed wind farms – Contracts for difference Round 4
- Norfolk Boreas – Round 1 – 1380 MW
- Total – 1380 MW
These are proposed wind farms – Contracts for difference Round 6
- Hornsea 4 – England – 2400 MW
- East Anglia 2 – England – 963 MW
- Greeen Volt – Scotland – 400 MW
- Total – 3763 MW
These are proposed wind farms – Early Planning
- East Anglia 1 North – England – 800 MW
- Rampion 2 Extension – England – 1200 MW
- Norfolk Vanguard East – 1380 MW
- Norfolk Vanguard West – 1380 MW
- Dogger Bank South – England – 3000 MW
- Awel y Môr – Wales – 500 MW
- Five Estuaries – England – 353 MW
- North Falls – England – 504 MW
- Dogger Bank D – England – 1320 MW
- Berwick Bank – Scotland – 4100 MW
- Seagreen Phase 1A – Scotland – 500 MW
- Outer Dowsing – England – 1500 MW
- Morecambe – England – 480 MW
- Mona – England – 1500 MW
- Morgan – England – 1500 MW
- Morven – England – 2907 MW
- Ossian – Scotland – 3610 MW
- Bellrock – Scotland – 1200 MW
- CampionWind – Scotland – 2000 MW
- Muir Mhòr – Scotland – 798 MW
- Bowdun – Scotland – 1008 MW
- Ayre – Scotland – 1008 MW
- Broadshore – Scotland – 900 MW
- Caledonia – Scotland – 2000 MW
- Stromar – Scotland – 1000 MW
- MarramWind – Scotland – 3000 MW
- Buchan – Scotland – 960 MW
- West of Orkney – Scotland – 2000 MW
- Havbredey – Scotland – 1500 MW
- N3 Project – Scotland – 495 MW
- Spiorad na Mara – Scotland – 840 MW
- MachairWind – Scotland – 2000 MW
- Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon Extensions – England – 719 MW
- Llŷr 1 – Wales – 100 MW
- Llŷr 2 – Wales – 100 MW
- Whitecross – England – 100 MW
- Total – 48262 MW
- Grand Total – 57337 MW
57337 MW would have enough electricity left over to replace Germany’s gas.
Haventus Chosen To Accelerate Opportunities For Floating Offshore Wind In Scotland
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Cerulean Winds.
These three bullet points, act as sub-headings.
- The under-construction Ardersier Energy Transition Facility owned by Haventus, is selected by Cerulean, the floating wind company with 3GW under development in the Central North Sea
- Announcement marks major boost to future of offshore floating wind in Scotland, as UK floating offshore wind supply chain takes shape
- Cerulean Winds to leverage its unique experience in floating infrastructure from oil and gas sector, in particular, Alliance Contracting
These four paragraphs add detail to the post.
Haventus, owner of the under-construction Ardersier Energy Transition Facility, located near Inverness, Scotland, has been selected by Cerulean Winds, the lead developer of 3GW+ UK floating offshore wind, as its chosen deployment port.
Ardersier Energy Transition Facility, which has secured £400 million of funding, including a £100 million credit facility from the UK National Wealth Fund & Scottish National Investment Bank, will be Scotland’s largest offshore wind facility on the North Sea coast. Cerulean’s commitment to using the facility marks a major step toward realising the UK and Scottish governments’ vision of creating a world-leading floating offshore wind (FLOW) industrial base.
By 2050, FLOW could contribute more than £47 billion to the UK economy and employ 100,000 people. Ardersier will support achieving these targets by deploying and servicing offshore wind installations, providing green jobs and establishing a UK supply chain to rival international competitors.
The Cerulean alliance’s first project will be the Aspen development, a 1 GW wind farm in the Central North Sea approximately 100km from shore, that is targeting first power between 2028-29. The project is designed to enable Scotland’s supply chain and direct more than £1 billion of investment in FLOW manufacturing and service support in the country, with the Ardersier Energy Transition Facility acting as a strategic hub. This early investment will help establish the industrial foundation needed to maximise domestic economic benefits from ScotWind’s planned buildout from 2030.
The numbers are huge and hopefully the initial returns will provide the capital to develop the later wind farms.
In some ways, I’m disappointed, as this is the sort of project, I’d love to be writing the software for.
I also these days have no family responsibilities and only need to look after myself.
Offshore Wind Innovation Hub in New York Opens Third Call For Applications
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The Offshore Wind Innovation Hub in New York, led by Equinor in collaboration with Urban Future Lab at NYU Tandon School of Engineering and National Offshore Wind Research & Development Consortium (NOWRDC), opened the 2025 application process on 15 January, issuing the third call for its accelerator programme since the Hub was officially launched in January 2023.
These two paragraphs describe the work of the innovation hub.
“We look forward to building on the strong foundation of the Innovation Hub and supporting the next round of entrepreneurs and emerging technologies”, said Molly Morris, President, Equinor Renewables Americas. “The solutions identified by the innovators will play a critical role in advancing the offshore energy industry, developing supply chains, and strengthening energy security for future generations of New Yorkers.”
Last year, six companies were selected to join the Hub’s accelerator programme and receive support to develop further their solutions that could help advance offshore wind in New York and the US: Boxkite Software, Claviate, Indeximate, Pliant Energy Systems, Sensatek, and Triton Anchor. Through the first call for applications in 2023, the Innovation Hub selected Benchmark Labs, Flucto, Heerema Engineering Solutions, RCAM Technologies, OSC, and VinciVR.
Note.
- Many countries have innovation hubs like these based on research institutions and universities.
- Molly Morris, with her Norwegian support, seems the sort of woman, who can keep Trumkopf under control.
- The Offshore Wind Innovation Innovation Hub certainly seems to spread their support around.
- I don’t think the Innovation Hub’s philosophy fits with Trump’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’
I can see Molly Morris, Equinor and The Innovation Hub really annoying Trump.
Let the battle commence!
Trump Preparing Executive Order To Stop Offshore Wind Buildout On US East Coast, US Congressman Claims
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
US Congressman Jefferson Van Drew said on Monday that he was working closely with US President-elect Donald Trump on drafting an executive order to stop offshore wind activities along the US East Coast. The directive is expected to be finalised within the first few months of Donald Trump’s administration, the US Congressman stated in a press release on 13 January.
But it does look that Trump himself, is blowing in the wind.
To remind, seven East Coast offshore wind projects (in operation, under construction, or yet to enter the construction phase), were granted construction permits by the Trump administration during his first presidential term.
These include the large-scale offshore wind projects that were awarded federal leases from 2017 to 2020: Kitty Hawk North (2017), Empire Wind (2017), Skipjack (2018), Beacon Wind (2019), SouthCoast Wind (2019), Vineyard Northeast (2019), and South Fork Wind (2020). The Biden administration has approved eleven further offshore wind lease permits.
How did such a technological imbecile get voted in as President of the United States?
German Far-Right Vows To Tear Down Wind Turbines
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on oilprice.com.
These two paragraphs add detail to the story.
Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has vowed to dismantle wind parks and wind turbines should it win power in the upcoming presidential elections in February, aligning itself with similar sentiments by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. AfD asserts in its election platform that it “rejects the further expansion of wind energy” and has called for cuts to renewable subsidies.
German offshore-wind group BWO has hit back at AfD’s anti-wind policy, saying Putin would be the biggest beneficiary of such a move. AfD chairwoman Alice Weidel has also tried to walk back that position, saying her earlier anti-wind comments referred to a local matter in the state of Hesse.
This could be good for the UK.
This is the first two paragraphs of the Wikipedia entry for Wind Power in Germany.
Wind power in Germany is a growing industry. The installed capacity was 55.6 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2017, with 5.2 GW from offshore installations. In 2020, 23.3% of the country’s total electricity was generated through wind power, up from 6.2% in 2010 and 1.6% in 2000.
More than 26,772 wind turbines were located in the German federal area by year end 2015, and the country has plans for further expansion. As of the end of 2015, Germany was the third largest producer of wind power in the world by installations, behind China and the United States. Germany also has a number of turbine manufacturers, like Enercon, Nordex and Senvion.
By the end of June 2022, Germany had a total of 30,000 installed wind turbines, with a capacity in excess of over 64 GW.
Large numbers of second-hand wind turbines to plant all over Starmer, Reeves and Miliband’s vision of the UK would go down just fine in the cash-strapped Treasury, but would the British public like them?
So as Starmer and Reeves will talk to anybody to save their skins, are they talking to the AfD?
Will Trump Venture To Impose ‘No New (Offshore) Wind Turbines’ Policy And Bring US Industry Supporting 120,000 Jobs To Halt?
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
During his presidential campaign in 2024, Donald Trump said he would sign an executive order to stop offshore wind farms from being built in the US “on day one”. On 7 January, the US president-elect reiterated the plan which now seems to apply to wind energy on land too, saying he would look into implementing “a policy where no windmills are being built”.
He really does look to be following his “Drill, Baby, Drill” philosophy.
But the first paragraph of the article does indicate that Trump might not be having it all his own way.
The backlash is coming not only from the wind energy industry but also from government officials, as wind energy now accounts for 10 per cent of the US electricity generation, employs more than 120,000 people, and attracts tens of billions of US dollars in investments per year.
How easy is it to get rid of the President of the United States, without doing them any physical harm?
The whole article is well-worth reading, but the last paragraph is priceless.
So, will the incoming US president fulfil the promise and embark on implementing a policy that bans building new wind farms, both offshore and onshore, jeopardising jobs and billions in investments and federal lease fees?
It would certainly be a policy, that would have a profound negative effect on much of the US economy.
Brazilian President Enacts Offshore Wind Law, Vetoes Fossil Energy-Related Additions
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has signed into law the bill recently passed by the Brazilian Senate that establishes regulations on allocating and permitting offshore wind development areas. The Brazilian president has vetoed provisions related to fossil fuels in the final version of the legislation which were added while the bill was in the Chamber of Deputies.
It looks like President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has just struck himself off Trumkopf’s Christmas card list.
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UK Gov’t Says Offshore Wind Backbone Of 2030 Clean Power System, Plans To Procure 12 GW More In Next Few Allocation Rounds
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Electricity generated by renewable sources and nuclear power will be the foundation of the UK’s electricity system by 2030, according to a new action plan the UK government issued in December 2024. Offshore wind, which now accounts for some 17 per cent of the country’s electricity generation, has “a particularly important role as the backbone of the clean power system”, the government said, revealing plans to make part of the path to building offshore wind farms easier as soon as before the Contract for Difference (CfD) round planned for the summer.
These two paragraphs add a few more details to the plan.
The action plan, issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), was presented by the UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on 13 December and is said to be a “major milestone to deliver on the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change which aims to drive economic growth and rebuild Britain with mission-driven government”.
Clean Power 2030 Action Plan is a roadmap to an (almost) fully clean power system in the UK by 2030, with clean sources making up 95 per cent of Great Britain’s electricity generation with gas being used for no more than 5 per cent of total generation.
This Wikipedia entry is a List of Operational Wind Farms in the UK.
Operational Offshore Wind Farms
In October 2023, there were offshore wind farms consisting of 2,695 turbines with a combined capacity of 14,703 megawatts. Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices.
Wind Farms Under Construction
Offshore wind farms currently under construction (offshore), with a combined capacity in December 2024 of 7,792 MW. Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices.
Pre-Construction Wind Farms
Wind farms that have started onshore construction and have been awarded contracts under the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference Round 3 (2019)/Round 4 (2022). Total capacity of 3,932 MW. Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices. These projects re-bid some capacity in Round 6 (2024) with a higher strike price.
Proposed Wind Farms – Contracts For Difference Round 4
Wind farms proposed under the Round 4 (2022) CFD auction,[88] with a combined capacity of 1,428 MW . Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices.
Proposed Wind Farms – Contracts For Difference Round 6
Wind farms proposed under the Round 6 (2024) CFD auction,[88] with a combined capacity of 3,763 MW . Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices.
Proposed Wind Farms – Previously Awarded In The CfD Round 3
This wind farm was proposed under the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference Round 3 (2019), which it decided to withdraw from. It will likely bid in AR6 with a changed specification from the original submission
Proposed Wind Farms – Early Planning
Wind farms that are in an exploratory phase and have not yet secured a Contract for Difference at auction.
Total capacities: England: 18,423 MW – Wales: 700 MW – Scotland: 30,326 MW
Current Totals
- Operational Offshore Wind Farms – 14,703 MW
- Wind Farms Under Construction – 7,792 MW
- Pre-Construction Wind Farms – 3,932 MW
- Contracts For Difference Round 4 – 1,428 MW
- Contracts For Difference Round 6 – 3,763 MW
- Previously Awarded In The CfD Round 3 – 0 MW
- Earlp Planning – England: 18,423 MW
- Early Planning – Wales: 700 MW
- Early Planning – Scotland: 30,326 MW
Adding up these totals gives 81.067 MW
As I’m typing this, the UK is generating and importing a total of 29,330 MW of electricity.
Conclusion
Another 12 GW of new offshore wind will mean that we will have 81,067 + 12,000 – 29330 MW of electricity to put in store or sell to the Germans and other Europeans.
Perhaps we should be investing in industries, that use large quantities of electricity like hydrogen steel-making or zero-carbon cement making.
Trump Calls On UK To ‘Get Rid’ of Offshore Wind Farms In Favour Of Oil & Gas; Gets Invited To Hull
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Donald Trump has urged the UK government to “get rid of windmills” in the North Sea and open it up for oil & gas, which earned the US president-elect an open invitation from Humber Marine and Renewables, a UK regional industry organisation, to visit Hull and witness the effects of offshore wind on the economy first-hand.
This paragraph sums up Trumps views on wind farms, which he incorrectly calls windmills.
According to global media, on 3 January, Donald Trump said via his social media platform Truth Social that the UK was “making a very big mistake” with wind energy and that it should “open up the North Sea”, accompanying the post with a link to news about US oil company Apache saying it would exit the North Sea, citing the windfall tax in the UK. The news on Apache’s UK exit followed the UK government’s announcement on raising the tax from 35 per cent to 38 per cent and using the profit for renewable energy.
But then he wouldn’t realise that a windmill grinds corn and a wind turbine generates electricity.
This paragraph describes the invitation of Trump to Hull.
After the incoming US president’s social media post, director of the UK industry organisation Humber Marine and Renewables, Dave Laister, said in a comment to BBC: “I’d like to invite Donald Trump, or a representative here in the UK, to come to Hull and take in Offshore Wind Connections 2025. He needs to hear what those ‘windmills’ have done for the economy, for our maritime heritage and for the region’s sense of purpose. I’d like him to understand the appetite for working in this clean, green sector from those at our schools and colleges, to sample the hunger to be part of a climate emergency solution.”
I doubt he’ll go to the city.
One problem, he’ll have getting to Hull, is that the city doesn’t have an airport, so he’ll have to go into Humberside, Leeds or Robin Hood.
If you would like to go to Offshore Wind Connections 2025, then this is the web site.
Enjoy the party!
The Anonymous Widower 