New push to unlock enough electricity to power two cities the size of London
Enough electricity to power two cities the size of London will be unlocked through the Marine Recovery Fund to safeguard Britain’s marine biodiversity and energy security, the government announced on Wednesday (17 December).
The new Marine Recovery Fund enables offshore wind developers to pay into a government‑operated funding pot, delivering meaningful environmental compensatory measures to restore and protect marine habitats.
The fund will unlock up to 19 GW of offshore wind in the immediate term, providing the country with homegrown energy to deliver clean power by 2030 and protect households from volatile fossil fuel markets.
“The Marine Recovery Fund, paid for by offshore wind farm developers, will enhance the protection of wildlife in our seas by enabling more co-ordinated measures to be taken over much wider areas of seabed, across multiple offshore wind projects being developed by different companies,” explained RenewableUK’s Head of Offshore Wind Celestia Godbehere.
“This system will also provide greater certainty and clarity for wind farm developers as we plan, build and operate projects generating clean power in harmony with our rich marine biodiversity.”
By pooling contributions from developers, the fund will allow compensation measures for seabirds and other marine wildlife and habitats to be delivered strategically and at greater scale, driving nature recovery while speeding up the consenting process for new wind farms.
It will also mean faster decisions for developers, as pre-approved environmental measures reduce lengthy case-by-case negotiations.
Britain’s seas are home to remarkable life, from seabirds that crowd its cliffs, to the dolphins, porpoises and shoals of fish that inhabit its waters. The fund will help extend existing and designate new Marine Protected Areas to safeguard the seabed.
Future measures it is expected to deliver include actions to boost wildlife, such as controlling rats to support seabirds and creating offshore artificial nests for kittiwakes.
