The Crown Estate’s seabed leasing process

In 2021, The Crown Estate announced that it had selected six proposed new offshore wind projects in the waters around England and Wales, through a process known as Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4.

Combined, these Round 4 sites represent just under 8GW of potential new offshore wind capacity, offering the opportunity to deliver clean electricity for more than seven million homes and create employment opportunities across the country.

EnBW and bp were selected together as the preferred bidder for two major seabed leases in the Irish Sea – these are the sites that will become the Morgan and Mona offshore wind farms. Joint venture partners Cobra and Flotation Energy (who have now formed Morecambe Offshore Windfarm Ltd.) were selected together as the preferred bidder for a separate seabed lease in a different area of the Irish Sea, on the site that will become the Morecambe Offshore Windfarm.

The leases are in an area that boasts strong wind resources and shallow water depths. The leases cover an area of around 900km² of the seabed and will have a lifespan of up to 60 years. Our wind farms will enter operations by 2030.

You can find out more about the offshore leasing process on The Crown Estate website.