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Current Use in the UK

By the end of 2006, 5 offshore wind farms had been constructed in the UK; a two-turbine 4 Megawatt (MW) development at Blyth, a 30-turbine 60 MW development at North Hoyle, a 30-turbine 60MW development at Scroby Sands, a 30-turbine 90MW development at Kentish Flats and a 30-turbine 90MW development at Barrow. These developments were constructed in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. Upto date information on all current onshore and offshore windfarms in the UK can be found on the BWEA's website.

Likely contribution of offshore wind to the renewables targets

Thirteen large-scale offshore developments (each with a maximum of 30 turbines) with a potential capacity of 1.2 gigawatts were approved under Round 1. Added to this, a further 15 projects under Round 2 representing between 5.4 and 7.2 gigawatts (1 gigawatt = 1,000 magawatts) of new wind capacity have been offered site licences to develop wind farms off the coast of the UK. Although formal planning approval is still required, it is likely that a third of these will be constructed by 2010.

There are currently 5 operational windfarms in the UK: Barrow, off the South Cumbrian Coast; Blyth off the coast of Northumberland; Kentish Flats in the Thames Estuary; North Hoyle off North Wales and; Scroby Sands off Great Yarmouth. Details of all the UK offshore windfarms, operational, in construction and at the planning stage can be found on the BWEA's website. 

Wind energy will make the main contribution towards the Government's 10% renewable energy target. Half of this contribution is expected to come from offshore wind farms.

Planning and consents

Before an offshore wind farm can be constructed, the developer must obtain a number of statutory consents. The developer must publicise an application to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to build an offshore wind farm. The process is designed to ensure that members of the public and interested organisations have an opportunity to present their views before a decision is made. The consents process ensures that offshore wind farms are developed in a responsible manner.

A developer of a proposed offshore wind farm with a capacity above 1 megawatt has to comply with the requirements of the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment, England and Wales) Regulations 2000 or the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment, Scotland) Regulations 2000. This means that when developers are applying for consent for a project, they must provide a comprehensive assessment of its likely impact on a wide range of factors, including the marine environment and birds, visual impact, fishing and shipping. The assessment must be made for all the key stages in the life of a wind farm: construction, operation and decommissioning. The construction and decommissioning periods typically last about six months, whereas the operational life of a wind farm is about 20 to 25 years.

Where appropriate, consent for a wind farm may be given subject to certain conditions that ensure its impact on the marine environment and other users of the sea is constantly monitored.

Virtually the entire seabed of the UK, out to the 12 nautical mile territorial limit is owned by the Crown Estates, including the rights to explore and utilise the natural resources of the UK continental shelf (excluding oil, gas and coal). In essence, this makes Crown Estates the 'landlord of the seabed'. The Energy Act 2004 vested rights to the Crown Estate to licence the generation of renewable energy on the continental shelf within the Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) out to 200 nautical miles.

Before  any application for consent to build an offshore windfarm can be submitted, a licence must be granted by the C.E for the lease of the seabed. Licenses under Round 1 are for a period of 20 years, plus a year either side for the construction and decommissioning of the windfarm. Round 2 licences are for a period of 40 years.