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Scottish government raises offshore wind ambitions

4C Offshore | Tom Russell
By: Tom Russell 28/10/2020 GOV SCOT
The Scottish government has set a new ambition to increase offshore wind capacity to 11 GW of energy installed by 2030 – enough to power more than eight million homes. It has also issued the final Sectoral Marine Plan for offshore wind energy.

The aim of increasing the offshore wind capacity in Scottish waters is to support the delivery of Scotland’s 2017 Energy Strategy and the decarbonisation of heat and transport, and has been agreed following an extensive consultation with industry, stakeholders, coastal communities and environmental organisations.

The Scottish government has also adopted a plan, identifying suitable areas for commercial-scale offshore wind projects. The plan, which has been published by Marine Scotland, sets out the most suitable sustainable locations for the future development of commercial offshore wind energy.

Crown Estate Scotland will now consider today’s Sectoral Marine Plan and will, in the coming days, provide its plan to publish the final process and timelines for ScotWind Leasing going forward. That detail, called the Post-adoption Addendum to ScotWind Leasing, is expected to give developers the clarity they need to complete their applications.


Scotland’s Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “This is a pivotal moment for the development of our offshore wind sector. Our seas are host to some of the best offshore wind resources in the world and our ambition to capitalise on our offshore wind generation capacity is part of the bold action we are taking to support economic recovery and become a net-zero society.


“The Scottish Government is determined to drive a green economic recovery with investment in renewable energy at the heart of it. We want to harness Scotland’s enviable wind resource for our energy system and unlock significant investment in the supply chain to create more green jobs across the sector. We expect that the inclusion of Supply Chain Development Statements as part of ScotWind Leasing Rounds, as well as anticipated reforms to the UK Government’s all-important Contracts for Difference process for awarding electricity supply contracts, will better support collaboration and innovation across the domestic supply chain.  


“To ensure that developers have a clear framework to deliver the next round of offshore wind projects, we have also published a Sectoral Marine Plan identifying areas that are appropriate for commercial-scale developments and providing a strategic springboard for achieving our aspirations for future development.
 

“The plan is based on extensive consultation and seeks to balance the vital importance of our marine environment and other key sectors with the huge ambition and opportunity we have for the offshore wind sector.”


John Robertson, Head of Energy and Infrastructure for Crown Estate Scotland, said: “Today is an important step in the journey towards a world class offshore wind sector in Scotland, and it means that we can proceed with the next phase of ScotWind Leasing. Our ability to harness Scotland’s huge potential for offshore wind is a vital part of the wider efforts to hit Scotland’s ambitious Net Zero targets, and help our communities tap into the economic prize on offer.”


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

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