Source · Select Committees · Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Paragraph: 24
Over the course of our inquiry we heard significant demand from energy companies for additional...
Conclusion
Over the course of our inquiry we heard significant demand from energy companies for additional seabed leases to be made available. These leases are essential to the development of offshore energy generation in Welsh waters. We therefore welcome the recent announcement from The Crown Estate of a new leasing opportunity for early commercial-scale floating wind projects in the Celtic Sea. This new leasing opportunity will be particularly significant for the marine sector in Wales and, through its focus on projects of circa 300MW in scale, will be an important step towards the UK Government’s ambition to deliver 1 GW of floating wind by 2030.
Paragraph Reference:
24
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The management of the seabed off the coastlines of England, Northern Ireland and Wales, including leasing, is the responsibility of The Crown Estate (TCE), which is independent of the UK Government. Created by an Act of Parliament, it is a statutory corporation that operates on a commercial basis. TCE has played an important role to date in expanding offshore renewable energy capacity in Welsh waters. It manages the seabed and is responsible for balancing a range of maritime and stakeholder interests when exercising its duties. Following engagement with the market, TCE has confirmed its intention to hold a new leasing round for floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, focusing on projects of around 300 megawatts in scale. This will be an important step towards commercialisation of this technology and will put Wales at the forefront of the next wind energy revolution. TCE also recently announced that three 100MW floating wind test & demonstration projects (two of which are in Welsh waters) have passed through the initial application criteria demonstrating technical competence, delivery capability and technological innovation. These projects will now progress to a plan level Habitats Regulations Assessment.