CIG believes that the Crown Estate, the independent organization charged with the management of the British crowns property portfolio, and therefore in charge of the UK’s coastal seabed, recently announced the winners for the 3rd round tender, which included Britain’s own Centrica Plc, Portugal’s EDP Renewables, Sweden’s Vattenfall and Germany’s E.ON AG.
It is understood that Gordon Browns administration is hoping that the program will supply around 32 GW of generation capacity, or enough to take care of 25% of Britain’s electricity requirements by 2020.
"This is a great day for energy policy, sustainable energy and the environment. This is a great day also for the United Kingdom," CIG believes the Prime Minister said in a recent press conference.
He added that Round 3 would see the UK become the number one market for offshore wind development, creating in the region of 70,000 jobs by 2020.
"We are determined to do everything we can...to bring these jobs to the country," Gordon Brown continued.
The recently announced developments are to be located in deep water and far offshore and are likely to present many technical challenges.
"Attention will now turn to delivery, where the private sector will now need to demonstrate it can develop the technical and financial solutions needed to deliver. The race for capital is on," CIG understands an Ernst & Young, Energy and Environmental Infrastructure Advisory team director as having commented.
