02 May 2023

The High Court granted Greenpeace permission to proceed with a Judicial Review of the Government’s decision to launch a new licensing oil and gas round, with fossil fuel companies submitting more than 100 licences to explore for new oil and gas. The judge has granted permission to Greenpeace for a full Judicial Review of the […]

22 Jan 2023

More than 100 applications have been submitted to drill for new oil and gas in the North Sea, the BBC has reported.  A total of 115 bids have been received and the successful applicants will be announced later in 2023.     The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), which regulates the sector, said a total […]

03 Jan 2023

New research published by the ICES Journal of Marine Science which tests management scenarios for the North Sea ecosystem has been released. The Abstract from the paper is below: The complexities of ecosystem-based management require stepwise approaches, ideally involving stakeholders, to scope key processes, pressures, and impact in relation to sustainability and management objectives. Use […]

29 Nov 2022

The expansion of offshore wind farms in the North Sea is making progress. But the consequences for the marine environment they are built in have not yet been fully researched.     Scientists at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon have already provided valuable insights into the effects of wind farms in past studies. In their latest publication, […]

01 Nov 2022

Denmark to Launch North Sea Energy Island Tender in Spring 2023. The tender for the construction and operation of the Danish North Sea Energy Island is now expected to be launched in Spring 2023, as a new political agreement has been reached on the tender rules, which include significant requirements in the areas of working […]

11 Oct 2022

North Sea oil and gas licenses ‘overlap’ with marine protected areas, which are home to threatened species. The analysis by Uplift found that more than a third of the locations being offered clash with protected zones, the Independent reported. The government’s response to the consultation on the UK Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment 4 (OESEA4) Environmental Report paved […]

27 Sep 2022

The UK government has confirmed support for a new oil and gas licensing round.     The government’s response to the consultation on the UK Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment 4 (OESEA4) Environmental Report has been published. This will pave the way for future licensing or leasing for offshore oil and gas, offshore gas and carbon storage, […]

09 Aug 2022

A pilot project in the North Sea will develop floating solar panels that glide over waves ‘like a carpet’ German energy firm RWE is to invest in a pilot project centred around the deployment of floating solar technology in the North Sea. RWE describes “integration of offshore floating solar into an offshore wind farm” as […]