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BEIS unnveils Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package Measures

By: Tom Russell 10/01/2023 Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

General Windfarms

The UK Government Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package Measures as part of its British Energy Security Strategy.

The British Energy Security Strategy, published in April 2022, includes a target of 50 GW of offshore wind, including up to 5 GW of floating wind, by 2030. It also outlined a series of measures which collectively aim to accelerate deployment whilst protecting the marine environment, including the development of an Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package.

The Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package aims to address the impacts of offshore wind infrastructure in the marine environment while speeding up the consenting process and protect the environment. Measures include the

• delivery of Offshore Wind Environmental Standards (previously called nature-based design standards in the British Energy Security Strategy);
• development of regulations and guidance to streamline the Habitats Regulations Assessment and Marine Conservation Zone assessment process for offshore wind projects;
• delivery environmental compensatory measures across one or more offshore wind projects to compensate for adverse environmental effects on protected sites that cannot be otherwise avoided, reduced or mitigated;
• implementation of a Marine Recovery Fund; and
• the introduction of strategic monitoring to improve understanding of the marine environment and the measures needed to further protect it.

Government ran an ‘Opportunity to Comment’ on the Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package in summer 2022. Around 150 stakeholders attended discussion sessions and 33 written responses were received. Further engagement will take place as Government continues to develop the Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package.

Of the five measures in the Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package, three require primary legislation which is being sought through Government amendments to the Energy Bill at the Lords Committee Stage.

• making of regulations about the assessment of the environmental effects on protected sites of offshore wind developments’ marine infrastructure, and about compensatory measures for adverse environmental effects;
• strategic compensatory measures to be taken or secured; and
• making regulations to introduce one or more Marine Recovery Funds, and to allow for delegation of the operation and management of the Funds to other bodies.

BEIS stated it will continue to work closely with industry and other stakeholders as it develops the regulations for the environmental assessment of offshore wind on protected sites and the Marine Recovery Fund, as well as the wider Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package. This will include ensuring that provisions and future requirements are aligned with legislation being brought forward via the Energy Bill to support the accelerated deployment of offshore wind.

To meet its goal of 50 GW by 2030, the UK government will kick off the latest Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round (AR5) in March. The CfD scheme is the government’s primary method of supporting low-carbon electricity. It aims to encourage investment in renewable energy by providing projects with a stable income, while protecting consumers from paying increased costs when electricity prices are high.

Winners of the last round, the fourth Allocation Round (AR4), were revealed in July with 11 GW of future renewable energy generation. Several offshore wind farms with a combined capacity of of nearly 7 GW are among the winning projects.

For more information on offshore wind farms worldwide, click here.

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BEIS unnveils Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package Measures

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