Potential leasing explored for first commercial-scale floating wind projects for Celtic Sea.
Celtic Sea surveys to
get underway this summer as The Crown Estate signs new contracts Specialist
survey vessels are set to embark on a series of studies in the Celtic Sea,
after The Crown Estate signed new contracts as part of a programme to gather
valuable data which could help support and accelerate the development of
new floating wind farms
The news comes as the
UK Government undertakes further work to resolve spatial considerations
and policy drivers relating to competing demands on the seabed in the Celtic
Sea.
In 2021 The Crown Estate
set out plans to explore viable options for a potential leasing opportunity
for the first commercial-scale floating wind projects to be located in
the Celtic Sea off the coast of Wales and the South West of England. A
key part of this approach has been to de-risk the development process as
far as possible by undertaking research and engagement to enable a future
leasing round and provide a clear pathway to the deployment of floating
wind in the UK.
Recently (26th May
2023), The Crown Estate updated developers that, through this engagement,
it was clear that the Celtic Sea is subject to many competing demands and
there are a number of spatial considerations and policy drivers that the
UK Government is now working to resolve.
While this work is
underway, The Crown Estate has progressed with the next phase of a multi-million
pound programme of technical and environmental surveys in the Celtic Sea.
Contracts have now been signed with leading specialists Fugro for geophysical
surveys, which are set to get underway in the summer. The survey vessel
team will use towed and hull-mounted sensors to collate information on
the properties of the seabed and sub-seabed.
As managers of the
seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, The Crown Estate has
developed a world-leading approach to gathering and sharing marine data
and evidence, helping deepen the understanding of the seabed and support
the development of a wide range of offshore projects.
Data from these latest
studies will not only allow a greater understanding of the properties of
the Celtic Sea, but will be a valuable resource for developers as part
of the planned leasing round for floating offshore wind. The Crown Estate
will make the results of the surveys freely available to successful bidders,
helping inform their early engineering design decisions, while also enabling
them to take early decisions and manage risk. Developers are also expected
to draw on the data to support any future project level Environmental Impact
Assessments (EIAs) as part of the planning process.
Nicola Clay, Head of
New Ventures for Marine at The Crown Estate, said:
“These surveys will
provide a valuable addition to The Crown Estate’s world-leading bank of
marine data and evidence, but they also mark an important milestone as
we seek to realise the opportunities presented by floating offshore wind.
“The UK seabed is
a complex ecosystem of natural habitats and vital industries, of which
renewable energy is one part. As managers of this vital resource, a key
part of our role is to de-risk offshore renewable projects and help to
accelerate their development and the UK’s Net Zero energy transition and
energy security as far as possible through engagement with the full spectrum
of seabed users.
“We continue to support
the UK Government as it considers the competing demands in the Celtic Sea,
and look forward to bringing developers together again soon to set out
the next steps towards realising the opportunities presented by floating
offshore wind.”
The awarding of contracts
for geophysical surveys is the latest part of a multi-million pound investment
by The Crown Estate in better understanding the physical and environmental
properties of the Celtic Sea, with contracts for metocean surveys announced
in December 2022.
In addition to the
programme of pre-consent surveys, The Crown Estate has also been taking
further steps to help accelerate the deployment of floating offshore wind
in the Celtic Sea and remove some of the risks and uncertainty developers
face. These include:
· Giving developers
options to bring forward projects in phases while the technology and supply
chains mature.
· Undertaking an integrated
spatial design and Plan-Level Habitats Regulations Assessment process ahead
of the market tender to reduce timelines and developer risk.
· Working closely with
National Grid ESO to ensure this is the first leasing process in the UK
to have a coordinated grid connection concept.
