The Goal: Triple Offshore Energy Capacity by 2030
This week’s Westminster Energy, Environment and Transport Forum, sponsored by Burges Salmon, brought together industry leaders to map the next steps for UK offshore energy and the North Sea agenda. Attendees included James Phillips, the Head of the Energy and Utilities Sector Group, and Natalie Cooke, a Solicitor in the Real Estate Energy team. The discussions highlighted both progress to date and the challenges ahead as the sector positions itself for rapid scale. The overarching objective is explicit: triple offshore energy capacity by 2030, with a strong emphasis on wind, green hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) to decarbonize industrial processes. Achieving this scale will require substantial capital, estimated at £15 billion in investment and roughly £58 billion in grid upgrades to support transmission and distribution across the network.
A Coordinated Response: Integration and Colocation
A key theme was the need for a coordinated response that allows different energy sectors to share space and infrastructure without driving up costs or causing delay. Technology has advanced in ways that support multi-use installations, but CCS under current wind projects, i.e., colocation, is still legally and practically complex. Planners must account for shipping, navigation, and other marine activities, or projects risk competing for space rather than collaborating. Progress has been made through the marine planning system, notably where The Crown Estate and planning frameworks have laid groundwork for integrated development. One proposed remedy is a dedicated offshore authority or task force to drive cross-sector alignment. Work is already underway on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which is currently in the House of Lords, signaling political will to formalize an integrated approach.
Going forward, the sector will need a clear governance pathway that includes consistent rules for siting, shared use of platforms, and streamlined approvals while preserving environmental and navigational safeguards. The aim is to prevent bottlenecks and ensure that space is optimized rather than squandered on duplicative structures.
Upskilling and Local Communities
Upskilling is essential to translate ambitious plans into tangible jobs. The industry must transfer expertise from oil and gas while embedding green skills into education and training. Regional hubs should not become hollowed-out communities; policymakers must treat this as both a technological and social challenge—and actively involve local communities in project design. A “skills passport” could map current capabilities against future needs, expediting retraining and recruitment. Attracting younger generations requires demonstrating a stable career path, clear progression, and opportunities across the supply chain—manufacturing, installation, operation, and decommissioning—so that the North Sea transition remains attractive for talent across the country.
Marine Protection: Environment and Monitoring
Protecting marine ecosystems is a non-negotiable element of a sustainable offshore energy strategy. The industry must consider noise, construction-related vibrations, and other physical impacts on plankton, bottom-dwelling organisms, fish, and seabirds. Enhanced, continuous environmental monitoring is essential, moving away from a disjointed, case-by-case approach toward a more coherent framework. The sector can unlock offshore wind potential while simultaneously supporting nature recovery, underscoring that a healthy sea benefits net zero ambitions. Timely compensation measures are also needed; currently, compensation events kick in at different project milestones, which can create delays and uncertainty. A streamlined regime would align payments with project progress and environmental safeguards.
Compensation and Social Equity
Policy design must treat compensation as part of an overall technology, social, and justice challenge. Local communities should be co-designers of projects, and economic benefits should flow broadly. Innovation policies should be aligned with equity outcomes to ensure that communities feel part of the transition rather than sidelined by it.
Legal Considerations and Governance
The pace of change in clean energy brings legal complexity. Speed and scale create risks that time-honored approaches may not cover, so disputes can arise as the sector expands. Disputes in new, fast-moving markets can be costly and time-consuming, especially where data centers and other fast-evolving technologies are involved. Detailed governance and regulation for decommissioning are likely to be required as projects mature, with courts tightening scrutiny of procedures. The European Court of Human Rights has shown interest in related environmental and property issues, signaling that the legal framework will continue to evolve. The takeaway is clear: while the UK geology and wind resource position the country to lead globally, an integrated, well-governed approach is urgently needed to realize that potential.
Conclusion: A UK-led Opportunity
In sum, the event’s conclusion is hopeful and pragmatic: the UK’s geology and wind resource put it in a prime position to lead offshore energy production. But achieving the 2030 scale requires an integrated effort—across policy, planning, and local communities—backed by robust governance, ongoing investment, and a coordinated approach to space, skills, and environmental stewardship. With the Planning and Infrastructure Bill moving through Parliament and a renewed focus on collaboration, the UK can turn ambition into tangible, decarbonized energy for the future.
