The Crown Estate has set out further details on its plans for Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5, which aims to establish new floating offshore wind technology off the coast of Wales and South West England.
The update includes details on the final planned locations for the new windfarms, as well as further information on a multi-million-pound programme of marine surveys.
This latest update follows a period of engagement with developers and wider stakeholders on proposals set out in July over how to make best use of available space in the Celtic Sea. As a result of the feedback received, The Crown Estate has confirmed that:
- Three Project Development Areas (PDAs) of roughly equal size are expected to be made available to bidders, as opposed to the previously proposed four PDAs of varying sizes
- No bidder will be able to secure an Agreement for Lease for more than one PDA
- As a result of bringing forward three equal-sized PDAs – each with a potential capacity of up to 1.5GW - the overall capacity available through Round 5 has increased from a possible 4GW to up to 4.5GW.
An Information Memorandum is expected to be published before the end of this year ahead of the formal start of the leasing round.
Alongside information on the location and size of the new windfarms, The Crown Estate has also updated developers on its multi-million-pound programme of marine surveys. The studies are designed to provide developers with vital data to help inform their decision making and de-risk projects at an early stage, as well as support winning bidders through the consenting process.
