Britain’s government said its new Marine Recovery Fund (MRF) will help unlock the deployment of up to 19 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by streamlining environmental approvals and supporting marine habitat restoration.
Regulations published earlier this month give ministers legal powers to establish the fund, which will be administered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The scheme is designed to deliver strategic and coordinated environmental compensation measures linked to offshore wind development.
Under the framework, developers will be able to pay into the Marine Recovery Fund to meet planning and consenting requirements, rather than negotiating environmental mitigation measures on a project-by-project basis. The government said this approach is intended to reduce delays in the consenting process while ensuring protection of marine ecosystems.
A separate and distinct scheme is planned by the Scottish government for offshore wind projects in Scottish waters.
“We’re building the next generation of clean, homegrown power and boosting marine life through the Marine Recovery Fund,” Marine Minister Emma Hardy said. She added that offshore wind was central to Britain’s long-term climate and growth objectives, stating that protecting marine ecosystems “is not a trade-off against clean energy, but a condition of delivery.”
Industry group RenewableUK said the fund marked a significant step for offshore wind developers. “As responsible developers, the offshore wind industry has been working closely with our colleagues at Defra and nature conservation organisations for many years to establish this groundbreaking fund,” the group’s head of offshore wind said.
RenewableUK added that the developer-funded scheme would allow environmental measures to be coordinated across wider areas of seabed and multiple projects, enhancing protection for marine wildlife while supporting continued expansion of offshore wind capacity.
