Offshore wind energy

 Approximate read time: 10 minutes 

1. Expanding UK offshore wind capacity

The Labour government has committed to increasing the proportion of the UK’s energy generated from renewables to decarbonise the UK’s electricity system by 2030.^[1] As part of achieving this target, Labour has pledged to quadruple offshore wind power production in the UK by the end of the decade. In its recent report to Parliament on the UK’s progress towards achieving net zero carbon emissions, the Climate Change Committee concluded the number of new offshore wind installations each year would need to be trebled if the UK was going to meet its net zero target.^[2]

To support increased investment in the renewable energy sector, the new government has said it will establish Great British Energy. This would be a publicly owned “clean power” company that would work with the private sector to encourage greater investment in renewable energy, including offshore wind.^[3] It has also recently introduced the Crown Estate Bill [HL], a bill intended to support the development of offshore wind projects in seabed areas held by the Crown Estate.^[4]

2. Challenges to expanding offshore wind capacity

The government’s commitment to expand the UK’s offshore wind capacity has been welcomed by the renewable energy trade association Renewable UK.^[5] However, it has argued there are several challenges which need to be addressed by the government before it can achieve its 2030 target. Renewable UK has recommended that the government should reform the planning system to enable new projects to be developed more quickly. In 2023, Renewable UK noted a new offshore windfarm could take four or five years to get approval.^[6]

Renewable UK has also recommended that ministers should maximise the number of offshore wind projects awarded funding through the ‘Contracts for difference’ scheme. For example, it noted the allocation round launched in March 2023 under the previous government did not result in any contracts being awarded to offshore wind developments.^[7] More recently, Renewable UK welcomed the announcement that nine offshore wind projects had been awarded contracts as part of the 2024 allocation round.^[8] However, the energy consultancy Cornwall Insight has argued that, while the recently awarded contracts marked progress towards achieving the government’s renewable energy goals, the UK’s total offshore wind capacity remained “significantly below” those targets.^[9]

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, a research innovation centre established by the Coalition government in 2013, has argued that the government would need to address issues including increasing national grid capacity to achieve the rapid expansion of offshore wind energy.^[10] The Institute for Government has also argued increasing grid capacity is fundamental to achieving the expansion of renewable energy, including offshore wind.^[11]

In addition, the ORE Catapult has recommended the government should address problems in the supply chain for new offshore windfarms.^[12] A recent study published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero also found that supply chain constraints were holding back expansion in the sector.^[13] This included problems with the supply of components such as fixed and floating foundations, high voltage direct current cables and converter stations.

3. Impact on the marine environment

In addition to its commitment to expand offshore wind, the government has committed to support natural habitats and reverse the decline in species populations.^[14] Whilst the government’s commitment to increase renewable energy has been welcomed by environmental campaigners including Friends of the Earth,^[15] others have highlighted the difficulty in achieving both aims. For example, the Wildlife Trusts, a group representing wildlife conservation charities in the UK, has identified several potential negative impacts on the marine environment resulting from the rapid expansion of offshore wind. These include the potential loss of marine habitats.^[16] It recommended the government should implement a ‘marine spatial plan’ which established the correct balance between renewable energy and protecting marine habitats.^[17]

Writing for the website The Conversation, senior ecosystem services scientist at Plymouth Marine Laboratory Claire Szostek identified several further environmental impacts arising from the expansion of offshore wind.^[18] These included the disruption of feeding sites and migration routes, as well as increased boat traffic and the risk of collision between vehicles leading to potential pollution of the marine environment. She also argued there had not been enough research into the impact of the decommissioning of offshore windfarms on the marine environment.

4. Impact on other marine activity

As well as mitigating the potential impact on the marine environment, other challenges include balancing the needs of the offshore wind industry with other organisations operating at sea. For example, preliminary results from a survey of people in the fishing industry published by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory found that 80% of the windfarms currently in operation or under construction were viewed to be having an impact on fishing activity.^[19]

The Ministry of Defence has also raised concerns about the potential impact of windfarm developments on radar facilities, aerodromes and explosive stores.^[20] In February 2023, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero established a fund to support research into new methods of mitigating the impact of windfarms on its radar systems.^[21]

5. Local opposition

Local attitudes to new offshore wind farms have tended to be less studied than opposition to onshore wind farms, both in the UK and in other countries.^[22] However, recent examples include local opposition to offshore wind developments off the North Devon coast and the Fylde Coast in Lancashire.^[23] Residents have raised concerns including the potential disruption caused by the installation of underground cables connecting offshore windfarms to the mainland.

6. Read more

• House of Lords Library, ‘Crown Estate Bill [HL]’, 6 August 2024
• House of Lords Library, ‘King’s Speech 2024: Energy security, net zero, environment and agriculture’, 11 July 2024

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Cover image by Nicholas Doherty on Unsplash.