Energy

From a standing start at the millennium, the UK’s world-leading offshore wind sector now meets more than 8% of the UK’s electricity demand, and is on course to deliver 10% by 2020.

Offshore wind

Footage courtesy of E.ON, Equinor, London Array and Ørsted. 

Our team of environmental and commercial experts, working in partnership with industry and Government, take an active, long-term approach, identifying and addressing common challenges, bringing industry together and encouraging information sharing. All of this is helping to attract investment, bring down costs and unlock value, making the nation’s seabed a brilliant place to invest. Take a look at our leasing activities and some of the enabling actions we have taken since early 2000.

For more information on new seabed rights, please visit our Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 and innovation and demonstration pages.

If you are interested in the total electricity being generated by offshore wind farms in near-real time, take a look at our offshore wind energy map.

Carbon Capture and Storage and Natural Gas

We provide rights for offshore natural gas storage and CO2 storage beneath the seabed, within the Exclusive Economic Zone. In this capacity, we work with developers to explore how CO2 storage beneath the seabed could help the UK meet its carbon emission targets.

Wave, tidal current and tidal range

We have awarded seabed rights for a number of test and demonstration sites for wave and tidal current energy, enabling developers to install technologies ranging from small-scale prototypes to demonstration zones, in a variety of site conditions. We also offer opportunity to access seabed for wave projects of up to 3 MW, or tidal current projects of up to 30 MW, and work with industry and partners to explore the potential to develop the UK's tidal range resources.