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New radar systems will help unlock 10 GW of offshore wind in UK waters,
powering thousands of homes with clean, homegrown energy
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New technology secures coexistence of air defence and
offshore wind – enabling government to deliver its clean
power mission while protecting national security
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This comes as the government launches a consultation today to
unlock up to 6 GW of onshore
wind capacity near the Eskdalemuir seismic array in
Scotland
Up to 10 GW of offshore wind
capacity will be unlocked as a result of government
upgrades to air defence radars.
Following close collaboration with industry, the government has
bought specially designed air defence radars, which will mitigate
against anomalies currently created by offshore wind
farms.
These new radars,
which will be installed from early 2029,
will keep the British people safe
by maintaining the UK's air defence capability. Radars
like these are a crucial part of the UK's air defence,
enabling the detection and identification of incursions and
threats within UK airspace. They can also coexist
with new offshore wind farms, without risk of interference –
supporting both national and energy security.
This follows the biggest single procurement of offshore wind
energy in British and European history, in which the government
secured a record 8.4 GW of capacity
– enough to power 12 million homes – at a price 40% lower than
the cost of building and running a new gas power plant.
By upgrading the radar systems, the government is ensuring
that this record‑breaking offshore capacity can move
from contract to construction.
Energy Minister, said:
This new radar technology will unlock a key
barrier holding back offshore wind farms, so that we
can deliver the clean homegrown power needed to
protect families from volatile fossil fuel
markets, while bolstering our national
security.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, MP, said:
We're committed to investing in maintaining the
UK's national security. These new air defence radars will
enable the Royal Air Force to monitor for potential
attacks from adversaries and help our Armed Forces protect the
UK.
We're making defence an engine for growth across the country with
the largest sustained defence spending increase since the Cold
War, reaching 2.6% of GDP from 2027.
Benj Sykes, OWIC Board Sponsor for Aviation and Defence, and Vice
President and UK Country Manager for Ørsted,
said:
The Offshore Wind Industry Council welcomes the conclusion of
procurement for a new air defence mitigation solution. This will
ensure we are able to unlock over 10 gigawatts of wind energy by
2030, as well as billions of pounds of investment and thousands
of jobs for the UK, without compromising our national defence.
This is the culmination of a truly collaborative process over
several years, with government and industry working in lockstep
to deliver a solution that allows air defence and offshore wind
to harmoniously co-exist.
This comes as the government today launches a consultation on
unlocking up to 6 GW of
onshore wind capacity near the Eskdalemuir seismic
array in Scotland.
The proposals would block on onshore wind within 15km of the
array, while easing planning rules in the surrounding area
between 15km and 50km. This will
enable Eskdalemuir seismic array to continue its
operations, while supporting national and energy
security.
Notes to editors
