2ND UPDATE: Cos Get OK To Develop Over 6 GW UK Offshore Wind
2009年2月16日 - 11:40PM
Dow Jones News
U.K. utility Scottish and Southern Energy PLC (SSE.LN) and U.K.
units of Germany's RWE AG (RWE.XE) and Spain's Iberdrola SA
(IBE.MC) are among companies granted exclusive rights to develop
over six gigawatts of offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters,
the Crown Estate said Monday.
The ten agreements - to be made with nine companies and
consortia - represent a key step forward for the U.K., which is
relying on offshore wind to meet binding targets set by the
European Union to boost renewable energy use and cut greenhouse gas
emissions by 2020.
"Offshore wind represents an outstanding resource which, when
harnessed, will make a very significant contribution to meeting the
ambitious renewable energy goals for 2020 agreed by the E.U. last
year," said Paul Dowling, Chief Executive of SSE's renewable energy
development division Airtricity.
The U.K.'s Crown Estate, which owns the U.K. seabed around the
coast and part of the foreshore, granted SSE a concession to
develop offshore wind farms at Beatrice, Bell Rock, Islay and
Kintyre.
The proposed wind farms could have a total capacity of up to
2,700 MW, SSE said.
At two of the four sites, SSE is in partnership with other
developers, including Aberdeen-based energy investment company
Ramco Energy PLC's (ROS.LN) SeaEnergy Renewables subsidiary.
Through SeaEnergy Renewables, Ramco is also in partnership with
RWE Innogy, RWE's renewable energy unit, to develop the up to
905-MW Inch Cape offshore wind farm.
"Inch Cape presents an ideal opportunity to take advantage of
the natural wind resources off the coast of Scotland to provide
clean, green electricity while at the same time utilising the local
skills and infrastructure that have supported the oil, ship
building and power industries in the past," said RWE npower
renewables Managing Director Paul Cowling.
Iberdrola's U.K. subsidiary ScottishPower Renewables is to
develop a site west of Argyll and the island of Tiree.
The site has the potential to generate between 500 megawatts and
1,800 MW, or enough to power 270,000 to one million households, the
company said.
"Scotland has the best onshore wind resources in Europe, and now
it is taking its first steps towards harnessing its offshore
potential, which will play a major role in helping to achieve
renewable energy targets," said ScottishPower Renewables Director
Keith Anderson.
E.ON Climate and Renewables U.K. Developments, a unit of
Germany's E.ON AG (EOAN.XE), Dong Energy A/S., Fluor Ltd.,
Mainstream Renewable Power Ltd., and Fred Olsen Renewables Ltd.
also won concessions, the Crown Estate said.
The next step for the developers is to begin intitial surveys
and consultations on the sites while the Scottish Government
conducts a Strategic Environmental Assessment, due to be completed
January 2010.
The Crown Estate opened the tender for offshore wind sites in
Scottish territorial waters in May 2008 with interested parties
submitting bids in October.
Last year, the Crown Estate also launched Round 3, a separate
offshore wind power licensing tender to develop 25 gigawatts of
offshore wind in territorial waters around the U.K.
Interest in Round 3 has already exceeded expectations.
Applications are to be submitted by the beginning of March and the
Crown Estate hopes to complete awards by the end of 2009.
The Crown Estate has estimated that construction is likely to
require investment of between GBP60 billion and GBP80 billion.
The U.K. is counting on development of 33 gigawatts of offshore
wind to reach the E.U. target of getting 15% of total energy
consumption from renewables by 2020 from around 2% now.
-By Selina Williams, Dow Jones Newswires +44 207 842 9262;
selina.williams@dowjones.com