Overview: A Turning Point for UK Offshore Energy
In a discussion sponsored by Burges Salmon, the Westminster Energy, Environment and Transport Forum gathered policymakers, industry leaders, and legal experts to chart the UK’s path forward for offshore energy. With the North Sea as the focal point, the debate underscored progress to date and the formidable challenges ahead as the industry aims to triple offshore energy capacity by 2030. The goals center on expanding wind, accelerating green hydrogen, and deploying carbon capture and storage (CCS) to support industrial decarbonisation.
Two figures anchor the financial ambition: roughly £15 billion in capital expenditure and around £58 billion in essential grid upgrades. Realising this scale will require coordinated action across sectors, robust regulation, and a skilled workforce ready to bridge traditional oil and gas with new green technologies.
Key Goals and Financial Needs
The overarching objective remains ambitious: scale offshore energy to meet growing demand while driving down emissions. Offshore wind is set to lead the charge, but green hydrogen and CCS are indispensable for decarbonising heavy industry and providing firm backstops for power systems. The economic hurdle is substantial, with capital costs and grid reinforcements needing to be secured through public policy, private investment, and cross-sector collaboration.
Investment signals will send a strong message about the UK’s commitment to a reliable, low-carbon energy mix. The proposed figures emphasise the need for not just generation capacity but also the infrastructure to move electricity to consumers and industrial users, including downstream connections and interconnections with neighboring grids.
Integrated Delivery: Planning, Coordination, and Governance
Integration across energy sectors—wind, hydrogen, CO2 storage, and maritime activities—will determine how efficiently space is used offshore. The forum highlighted synergistic approaches, such as colocating CCS with wind projects, which could optimise seabed use but pose legal, planning, and shipping challenges that must be resolved through coherent policy and governance.
Progress has been made through the marine planning system, but experts insist more is required. A potential solution discussed was an overarching offshore authority or task force to harmonise planning, consent, and deployment timelines. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is advancing through the House of Lords, signaling movement but also the need for careful scrutiny to avoid bottlenecks that stall projects.
Upskilling and Local Engagement
As energy systems transform, so must the workforce. The transition from oil and gas to green tech hinges on robust upskilling and education, with a focus on regional hubs and inclusive workforce planning. Policymakers emphasise a technology-and-social-challenge approach, ensuring local communities are engaged in project design and benefit sharing. A “skills passport” was proposed to map existing capabilities against future needs, expediting retraining and deployment. Encouraging young people to pursue trajectories in offshore energy will require visible, stable career paths and clear progression ladders.
Environmental Protection and Monitoring
Marine protection remains central to any expansion. The industry must address noise, construction, physical disturbance, and vibrations that affect plankton, seabed communities, fish stocks, and seabirds. The forum called for enhanced, continuous environmental monitoring to balance offshore wind growth with ecological recovery. A streamlined approach to compensation—triggered promptly as projects advance—was urged to ensure timely remedies for affected communities and ecosystems. Policy design should align innovation with equity outcomes, co-design with local communities, and sustained environmental stewardship.
Legal, Regulation, and Decommissioning
Accelerating development brings legal complexities. The speed of new technologies can outpace traditional dispute resolution, increasing costs and delays. Ongoing governance and regulatory frameworks will need ongoing refinement, particularly for decommissioning, where detailed governance and court scrutiny are increasing. The UK’s geology and wind resources position it well to lead globally, but only with a united, well-regulated approach that anticipates disputes and provides clear, efficient resolution paths. International parallels, including experiences in the Netherlands and considerations under the ECHR, underscore the need for robust, forward-looking legal structures.
Conclusion: A Coordinated Path to a Global Leadership
The event concluded that the UK’s offshore energy potential—anchored in rich wind resources and favorable seabed conditions—could position the country as a world leader. Yet achieving this requires an integrated effort across planning, investment, technology, and community engagement. With the Planning and Infrastructure Bill progressing and a pressing need for cross-sector collaboration, the time is ripe for a coordinated offshore approach that harmonises space, supports a skilled workforce, protects the marine environment, and delivers secure, decarbonised energy for the UK and beyond.
