Our operations

In December 2007, the government announced a draft programme for the development of 25GW of new offshore wind capacity around Britain’s coastline, in addition to existing plans for 8GW of onshore wind. Since then, the UK has, through the Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process, assessed the environmental implications and spatial interactions of this draft programme.

The results of the SEA were announced in June 2009, with the Government concluding that there are no overriding environmental considerations to prevent the achievement of the draft programme for offshore wind if mitigation measures are implemented to prevent, reduce and offset significant adverse effects. It was therefore decided to adopt this programme for some 25GW of new offshore wind capacity in the UK Renewable Energy Zone and the territorial waters of England and Wales.

The Crown Estate owns virtually the entire seabed out to the 12 nautical mile territorial limit and the Energy Act 2004 gives The Crown Estate rights to issue leases for development beyond the territorial limit within Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) out to 200 nautical miles. To find out more about the role of The Crown Estate, please visit the website – www.thecrownestate.co.uk/round3

In June 2008, The Crown Estate announced proposals for the third round of offshore wind farm leasing for the delivery of up to 25 GW of new offshore wind farm sites by 2020, and nine zones were identified as being suitable for development. There is potential for multiple wind farm sites within each zone.

In September 2008 The Crown Estate opened a competitive tender process allowing interested parties to bid for exclusive rights to become “Development Partners” and develop wind farms in each of the specified zones. Centrica submitted a bid to participate in Round 3 through that process.

View a map of the Round 3 zones identified for development.

In January 2010, following that tender process, Centrica was awarded the development rights to The Irish Sea Zone by The Crown Estate. The zone, which covers an area of 2,200 km² is 15 kilometres off the coast of Anglesey in Wales, over 20 km to the Isle of Man, over 40 km to the Cumbrian coast, and 60 km from the coast of Ireland. It is only planned to develop parts of that zone but it could potentially deliver around 4GW of offshore wind farm capacity – enough to power around 3m homes.

Successful delivery of the Round 3 projects will take total UK capacity to 33GW, sufficient power for every UK home. Following the announcement, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change said: “Our island has one of the best wind energy resources in Europe and today’s news shows we’re creating the right conditions for the energy industry to invest in harnessing it. This is one of the strongest signals yet that the UK is locked irreversibly into a low carbon, energy secure prosperous future.”

In April we are holding a public exhibition in Holyhead, Llandudno and Liverpool on potential developments in the Irish Sea Zone. View further information and dates.