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The Scottish authorities have awarded the concession of 17 offshore wind projects thanks to a mega-auction which brought in 700 million pounds. These projects, led by big names in energy, will increase the United Kingdom’s production capacities
All the projects represent nearly 25 gigawatts (GW). This is as much as the offshore wind capacity currently installed in the whole of Europe according to figures from the WindEurope lobby dating from 2020. Still for comparison, the United Kingdom, at the top of the European ranking, now has a little over 10 GW of this energy today.
Concessions of more than 7000 km2
The development of these capacities therefore involves the allocation of these concessions covering more than 7,000 km². The authorities have bet on several models: ten projects will be floating, six parks will be fixed and the last will be mixed. They will be or rather they should be… Because the winners of the auction and their partners, including BP, Shell, TotalÉnergie, Engie or even Iberdrola, only have one option for the moment. Rights to specific areas of seabed are reserved for them, but several steps await companies before signing a full lease. Funding is on the list.
Already, Greenpeace salutes a colossal step forward in UK offshore wind energy “. The Scottish authorities are delighted with the economic benefits.
► Also to listen: The United Kingdom is betting on onshore and offshore wind power
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