Shell said it has returned the lease for its 2-gigawatt (GW) CampionWind offshore wind project to Crown Estate Scotland, completing its withdrawal from the development as part of a wider refocus of its power strategy.
The CampionWind site, located about 100 kilometres off the east coast of Scotland, had been jointly developed with ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) under the ScotWind leasing programme.
Shell had sought to sell its 50% stake in the project earlier this year but did not find a buyer, according to industry sources. The company later concluded a swap deal with SPR, taking full ownership of CampionWind before handing back the lease to Crown Estate Scotland.
Under the same agreement, SPR assumed full ownership of the 3GW MarramWind floating offshore wind project, which had also been a joint venture between the two companies.
“Following on from the process of Shell selling its 50% interest in MarramWind to SPR, Shell has become the sole owner of the CampionWind project,” a Shell spokesperson said. “After a comprehensive review and in line with Shell’s previously announced refocussing of its power strategy on leveraging Shell’s strengths in trading and retailing, the conclusion was to not take the CampionWind project forward.”
The company said the decision to return the lease would enable other potential developers to make use of the site. “Shell believes that returning the CampionWind lease to CES will offer the best opportunity for any potential future the site may have,” the spokesperson said. “Substantial pre-investment work has already been undertaken to de-risk the site, which Shell hopes will support any possible future.”
Shell added that it remains committed to the UK’s offshore wind ambitions through its energy trading, marketing, and long-term contracting activities, despite scaling back from direct development.
The move reflects a broader strategic shift by Shell to streamline its power portfolio, focusing on businesses where it can integrate trading capabilities with energy supply rather than owning large-scale generation assets.
