Tuesday 22 May 2018

Crown Estate Scotland has unveiled proposals to lease seabed to encourage a new generation of offshore wind projects in Scotland’s waters.

The paper, published on 21st May 2018, outlined the draft process and asks those interested to feed back to help shape the final approach. Projects will have to be sited in areas identified in Marine Scotland’s forthcoming Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind.

Crown Estate Scotland – the public body that manages seabed leasing to help developers progress good projects – passes the money it makes from offshore renewables to Scottish Government for public spending.

Currently there are two offshore wind projects operating (Robin Rigg, Hywind Scotland), two being built (Beatrice and the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre) and some more due to start being built soon. This means that work needs to start now to ensure new projects are being built from late-2020s onwards.

This proposed offshore wind leasing process aims to support supply chain development and sector innovation, create jobs and stimulate economic growth by:

- Providing certainty and clarity to attract investment in a UK, European and global marketplace

- Being transparent, open and fair

- Stimulating competition and innovation

- Allowing early engagement with stakeholders

Early consultation has already taken place, recognising that how Scotland uses its energy assets – including seabed – impacts businesses, communities and consumers across the nation.

It can take five to ten years to develop and construct a new offshore wind project. Crown Estate Scotland and the offshore wind sector therefore need to start work now to ensure new projects can continue being built in the late 2020s and onwards.

The Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy confirms Ministers’ commitment to work with Crown Estate Scotland and Marine Scotland on new offshore wind, as part of a whole-system approach to meeting a 2030 target of 50% of energy consumption (heat, transport and electricity) being from renewable sources.

The UK Government’s Clean Growth Strategy also includes a commitment to work with Crown Estate Scotland to understand the potential for deployment of offshore wind from the late-2020s onwards.

The paper outlines a provisional design for a complete leasing package. The design aims to strike a suitable balance of allowing flexibility to developers, in a way which is acceptable to a wide range of stakeholders, while unlocking wider benefits.

Following feedback on the Discussion Document, Crown Estate Scotland plans to launch its final leasing process late 2018 or early 2019.