Significant investment of nearly £1 million allocated for the planning of an offshore wind farm project
Jersey is moving closer to the possibility of an offshore wind farm in its territorial waters. Since 2023, approximately £1 million has been spent on researching and developing plans for the project.
The States Assembly approved a proposition to progress the next stage of the offshore wind farm project in April last year. This year alone, £368,497 has been spent from a dedicated £500,000 budget for the project. These annual expenditures include the cost of consultants and other expert advisors for the offshore wind farm project.
In 2024, £383,668 was spent from the same budget, while in 2023, £189,376 was spent from the Climate Emergency Fund policy development budget. An additional £250k has been allocated in the budget for next year to progress policy development for the offshore wind farm.
This progress involves carrying out a policy appraisal supported by in-depth technical and economic evidence. The Carbon Neutral Roadmap, agreed in 2022, includes proposals for examining options for utility scale renewable energy in Jersey.
Deputy Steve Luce intends to bring his recommendation for the offshore wind farm project to the States Assembly in November, but will schedule a debate for January 2026. If the draft government Budget is approved, £250,000 will be allocated to the offshore wind farm project from the Climate Emergency Fund next year.
However, the search results do not provide explicit information about the advisor for the offshore wind farm project in the territorial waters of Jersey. The debate over whether Jersey will pursue an offshore wind farm project will take place at the start of next year.
As the project progresses, Jersey continues to move towards its goal of reducing carbon emissions and achieving energy independence. The offshore wind farm project, if approved, could play a significant role in achieving these objectives. Stay tuned for more updates as the debate approaches.
