Plans for new offshore wind leasing round unveiled

The Crown Estate has announced plans for a 6GW capacity offshore wind leasing round which could provide a potential economic boost to the UK of over £12bn.

The seabed manager said the new round is expected to be officially launched in the first half of 2027 with  the majority of sites likely be off the coast of the North East of England.                   

Dan Labbad, Chief Executive at The Crown Estate, said as well as creating billions of pounds, the round would generate jobs and provide lower cost energy for communities and businesses.

The announcement came as the Low Carbon Contracts Company said it had signed more than 200 Contracts for Difference across Allocation Round 7 and 7a, covering 14GW of renewable capacity.

The UK’s offshore wind pipeline is one of the largest in the world, with a current capacity of nearly 17GW and a further 12GW under construction. The capacity of the next leasing round will be informed by NESO’s strategic plan for the energy system and further market and stakeholder engagement.