RDE565 Offshore Wind Environmental Standards For Floating Offshore Wind

In April 2022, the British Energy Security Strategy (BESS) set out the Government's ambition to deliver up to 50GW of offshore wind by 2030, including up to 5GW of innovative Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW). The Government reconfirmed its plan for domestic energy security, including through renewable energy, in the Growth Plan which was announced in September 2022. The Government is committed to addressing the twin challenge of providing greater energy security and tackling climate change. Defra acknowledges that the scale of proposed offshore wind deployment has the potential to increase harmful environmental impacts on the marine environment, including upon seabirds.

In support of the BESS and the Growth Plan, Defra is implementing a new Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package (OWEIP). This aims to accelerate offshore wind deployment while protecting, and offering opportunities to enhance, the marine environment. The measures in the package include:

• Reforms to Habitats Regulations Assessments for offshore wind
• Establishing a Marine Recovery Fund to deliver strategic environmental compensation for environmental impacts;
• Delivering Offshore Wind Environmental Standards (OWES; previously termed 'nature-based design standards'); and
• Implementing a strategic approach to environmental monitoring.