The Crown Estate has confirmed that the overall available capacity for Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 has grown to 4.5GW.
The leasing rounds aim to establish new floating offshore wind technology, with a particular focus on the coast of Wales and south-west England.
Round 5 is expected to be the first phase of development in the Celtic Sea.
Setting out further details of its latest auction plans, The Crown Estate confirmed that the three Project Development Area (PDAs) expected to be made available to bidders will be of roughly similar size, as opposed to the four previously-proposed areas of varying sizes.
The three equal-sized PDAs will each have a potential capacity of 1.5GW, bringing the overall capacity of Round 5 to 4.5GW, up from 4GW, which was originally thought to be the capacity of the round.
Moreover, no bidder will be able to secure an Agreement for Lease for more than one PDA, added the Crown Estate.
The updates follow a period of engagement between the property management company and developers alongside wider stakeholders on proposals set out in July 2023 concerning how best to manage the available space in the Celtic Sea.
The Crown Estate is also investing in a Habitats Regulation Assessment, a multi-million-pound programme of marine surveys used to provide developers with marine wildlife data to de-risk projects at an early stage. This includes gathering data on sea birds and marine mammals around the project sites, conducted by aeriel surveyors HiDef.
“At its heart, the Crown Estate exists to create value both now and for future generations, whether that’s helping tackle climate change and nature recovery or enabling economic growth,” said Gus Jaspert, managing director at the Crown Estate.
“Through our role in managing the seabed, we want to catalyse the transition to Net Zero in the right way; driving the continued growth of new renewable technology such as floating offshore wind, while ensuring we support a thriving marine environment and create new social and economic opportunities,”
An Information Memorandum is set to be published before the end 2023 ahead of the formal start of the leasing round.
The previous offshore wind auction, Auction Round 4, saw the Crown Estate sign Agreements for Lease for six offshore wind projects with a combined potential capacity of approximately 8GW.
“Round 5 is set to be one of the biggest projects of its kind in the world, and will be a game changer for the UK’s energy security and net zero ambitions. It also stands to be transformative for communities across South Wales and South West England,” added Jaspert.
“Businesses and communities of all sizes stand to benefit from the opportunities on offer, but it will require ongoing collaboration to make these a reality. We will continue to work closely with governments, industry partners and our full range of stakeholders to drive the partnerships needed to truly realise the full potential of floating wind in the Celtic Sea.”
