Awards secured for two Scottish offshore windfarms
Commenting on the outcome of the latest UK Government Contracts
for Difference award, Energy Secretary said: “Whilst it is welcome
that two Scottish offshore wind projects (Berwick Bank Phase B
and Pentland) have secured a Contracts for Difference (CfD) award
in Allocation Round 7 (AR7), much more could have been achieved
at this pivotal moment.
“These projects are important for unlocking economic benefits and
driving innovation in the sector, and will play a key role in
delivering Scotland's and the UK's energy security.
“Unfortunately though, once again, this also represents a missed
opportunity. We have repeatedly warned that a limited AR7 budget
and unfair transmission charges would put Scottish projects at
a competitive disadvantage, despite holding more than a third of
the total UK offshore wind pipeline.
“These results clearly demonstrate the impact of the UK
Government decisions not to address the unfair and
disproportionate transmission charges to ensure level a playing
field for Scottish projects. This must be fundamentally changed
ahead of Allocation Round 8 (AR8).
“We call on the UK Government to act urgently to support the
deployment of our strong project pipeline: there were a number of
Scottish projects eligible for AR7, and we now must see those –
and others in the pipeline – succeeding in AR8.
“The Scottish Government will continue to do everything
in our power to support the delivery of our offshore wind
pipeline, including by investing strategically to anchor the
supply chain and develop port infrastructure.”
Background
Contracts for Difference (CfD)
Allocation Round 7: results - GOV.UK
