Sweden-based Vattenfall and ScottishPower Renewables have agreed a new development strategy for wind farm projects within the East Anglia Zone offshore of the UK, having an overall potential of up to 7.2GW.
The energy developers have arranged to split East Anglia Offshore Wind projects so that each firm will develop projects separately.
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The decision is a result of industry-wide changes agreed with the UK’s Crown Estate, which will lead to signing of project-specific deals instead of ‘zone development agreements’.
While ScottishPower Renewables will be responsible for projects in the southern parts of the East Anglia Zone, Vattenfall will focus the northern section.
ScottishPower Renewables will continue to develop works on its 714MW East Anglia One offshore wind project, which has already secured planning consent and a contract for difference (CfD).
The firm will also proceed with the East Anglia Three project, which is expected to generate up to 1.2GW, and intends to submit a planning application for the project by year-end.
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By GlobalDataVattenfall is to continue development of the 1.2GW East Anglia Four project.
The firms are in talks with the Crown Estate regarding additional projects in their respective portions of the zone.
ScottishPower Renewables Offshore Wind managing director Jonathan Cole said: "Now we need to move our focus from understanding the wider zone characteristics, which we have done successfully in partnership with Vattenfall, to ensuring that each individual project gets the specific attention that it requires."
Vattenfall and ScottisPower will co-ordinate the evaluation of common factors necessary for project development in the zone, which will involve sharing offshore wind measuring equipment and zone-wide survey data, as well as other key interfaces.
The Crown Estate Offshore Wind head Huub den Rooijen said: "Since being awarded exclusive rights to areas of seabed in 2009 to search and identify the best locations to develop offshore wind, developer focus is shifting to the development and delivery of the resulting projects.
"We’re working with ScottishPower Renewables and Vattenfall as they progress to project-specific agreements that will mark an important milestone in helping unlock the potential of the East Anglia Zone to deliver large-scale, low-carbon energy."
Image: Offshore wind farm turbines at the East Anglia Zone of development. Photo: courtesy of ScottishPower Renewables / Vattenfall.
