The DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) have launched a joint consultation on the licensing regime for the transmission of power from future offshore wind farms to the electricity networks.
In a statement, the DTI said a licensing regime is needed so that the links for transporting electricity ashore can be built in the most cost-effective way for generators and customers. The consultation document published examines two options for licensing offshore transmission. The first, a non-exclusive system, would enable competition between many licensed transmission owners to provide offshore grid connections. The second exclusive system involves licensing a number of transmission owners in different areas to provide offshore grid connections. Lord Truscott, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Energy said: ‘The Energy Review set out ambitious plans for a five fold increase in the amount of renewable energy that is produced in the UK. A considerable amount of that will come from offshore wind farms and potentially marine energy too. Therefore, it is vital that we put the systems in place to exploit the power from our seas. Establishing the transmission regime will be another step in the right direction.’