RenewableUK has published a report outlining key proposals to extend the operational lifespan of offshore wind farms, as well as recommendations for developing the best decommissioning options for offshore wind projects.
The UK’s first offshore wind farm began generating renewable energy in 2000, and several of the older projects are currently entering the final stages of their lifespan, according to RenewableUK. Collectively, their capacity of 5 GW is enough to power nearly four million homes.
Before any offshore wind farm can go ahead, developers must have decommissioning plans in place, which are updated throughout the lifespan of each project.
“Policy attention is rightly focusing on building new offshore wind farms. However, with originally anticipated average lifespans of twenty to twenty-five years, the UK’s earliest offshore wind farms are currently entering their final lifespan stage,” said Friederike Andres , RenewableUK’s Policy Manager.
The ‘Developing effective end-of-life policy frameworks for UK offshore wind’ report identifies several recommendations for governments and regulators.
These include clarification of policies extending the lifespan of offshore wind farms to get greater value from existing sites, as the UK risks losing 5 GW of offshore wind by 2035, which is one-third of the country’s total offshore capacity, according to RenewableUK.
In addition, the report suggests developing measures for repowering offshore wind farms, including exploring extending leases and building on recent positive steps by the government, such as developing onshore wind repowering policies for upcoming auctions for new clean power projects (in Allocation Round 7 and beyond).
RenewableUK also suggests providing clear direction and leadership on decommissioning, including updating the existing guidance to recognise the complexity of the task and to take into account the technical, commercial, and environmental challenges that offshore wind farm owners face.
“We have a great opportunity to strengthen the UK’s energy security by leveraging existing offshore wind infrastructure – either by extending the lifespan of existing projects or by repowering sites with modern state-of-the-art models. Instead of losing offshore wind capacity, we could potentially increase it,” said Nick Hibberd , RenewableUK’s policy manager.
“Clear direction and leadership are needed from Governments and regulators in developing the best possible decommissioning programme for offshore wind farms, taking full account of the complex technical, commercial and environmental factors involved, as well as enabling us to achieve the best outcomes for the marine biodiversity,” added Andres .
In terms of offshore wind capacity, the UK currently has 14.7 GW in operation, according to RenewableUK’s most recent report.
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