This roundtable paper discusses the critical role of offshore transmission in achieving the UK's net zero energy future and provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for offshore transmission development, highlighting the need for strategic planning, regulatory clarity, and industry collaboration to achieve the UK's ambitious decarbonisation goals.
Following the establishment of Great British Energy and NESO in October 2024, Arup convened industry leaders, policymakers, and visionaries working across transmission to explore opportunities and solutions to the challenges faced in delivering offshore assets. The discussions highlighted the need for a coordinated and integrated approach to support cost-efficient development and delivery of offshore transmission infrastructure, which is essential for offshore wind farm and interconnector developers' commercial models. Arup is well-placed to solve complex development challenges and in partnership with clients, we identify and proactively mitigate project risks using financial modelling and sensitivity and scenario analysis.
This paper outlines the importance of timely development decisions, coordinated engagement with the supply chain, and community buy-in to mitigate risks and uncertainties. It calls for the urgent development of an industry-informed, coordinated offshore transmission strategy beyond 2030, supported by a governance framework that defines roles and responsibilities for delivery. The recommendations include establishing a collaborative and program-based approach for marine infrastructure, developing a design collaboration playbook, and creating a common set of shared marine and coastal data to improve coordination and derisking of environmental impacts.
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