UK opens latest offshore wind leasing round offering 7 GW

The UK's Crown Estate has opened a fresh round of leasing for the rights to develop 7 GW of offshore wind. The first stage of the Round 4 leasing process began with the issuance of a pre-qualification questionnaire on the organisation's eTendering Portal, which will be followed by invitations to tender between February and June 2020. Plan-Level Habitats Regulations assessments will then take place between autumn 2020 and summer 2021, with successful bidders being agreed in autumn 2021.

Issuance of pre-qualification questionnaire kicks off competition for the rights to develop 7GW of new capacity

The Crown Estate has officially opened the Round 4 offshore wind leasing competition for the rights to develop 7GW of new capacity off England and Wales with the issuance of the pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ).

PQQ is the first stage of the Round 4 leasing process and is designed to assess bidders’ capability to deliver an offshore wind project, based on a set of financial, legal and technical criteria.

Bidders must satisfy the criteria in order to qualify for the next stage, The Crown Estate said.

The questionnaire is available via The Crown Estate’s eTendering Portal with the deadline for submissions on 29 November 2019.

PQQ runs until January 2020 and will be followed by stage one of an invitation to tender between February and June 2020. The second stage will be in September of that year.

Plan-Level Habitats Regulations assessments will run from autumn 2020 to summer 2021, with agreement for lease with successful bidders in autumn 2021.

The Crown Estate said that the timings are indicative and the dates will be confirmed at the start of each stage.

The Crown Estate business development manager Jonny Boston said: “We are delighted to be issuing the pre-qualification questionnaire for leasing Round 4.

“After over 18 months of preparation, the formal tender process is now officially open, marking a significant moment for the UK offshore wind market.

“Now the process begins in earnest to identify the next generation of offshore wind developments that will support the UK’s clean energy future out to 2030 and beyond.”