Referral of the proposed subsidy to Cromarty Firth Port Authority by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
The Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) has accepted a request for a report providing advice to the DESNZ concerning its proposed subsidy to Cromarty Firth Port Authority.
Administrative timetable
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 12 November 2024 | SAU’s report to be published |
| 16 October 2024 | Deadline for receipt of any third-party submissions |
| 2 October 2024 | Beginning of reporting period |
Request from DESNZ
2 October 2024: The SAU has accepted a request for a report from DESNZ regarding its proposed subsidy to Cromarty Firth Port Authority. This request relates to a Subsidy of Particular Interest.
The SAU will prepare a report, which will provide an evaluation of DESNZ’s assessment of whether the subsidy complies with the subsidy control requirements (Assessment of Compliance). The SAU will complete its report within 30 working days.
Information about the subsidy provided by DESNZ
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is proposing to award the Port of Cromarty Firth with up to £55.73m grant funding for their Phase 5A project under the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS). The referral relates to this individual subsidy rather than FLOWMIS itself.
The project will include a new floating offshore wind facility at the existing port which will be capable of providing turbine integration and assembly services.
The new facility will include a new deep water quay with high load bearing capacity and new landside storage space, which could provide marshalling, turbine integration and assembly for the upcoming ScotWind and Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) floating offshore wind projects.
As it stands, the UK does not have the capacity or capability of infrastructure required to support a number of key construction activities (including steel substructure manufacture and assembly, concrete substructure construction, floating offshore wind turbine and substructure marshalling, assembly and integration) needed to enable the mass deployment of floating offshore wind.
FLOWMIS was set up to provide up to £160m in grant funding to support the development of port infrastructure for large-scale floating offshore wind deployment. Through the scheme, DESNZ hopes to increase the capability in the UK floating offshore wind supply chain, drive cost reduction and enable the commercialisation of floating offshore wind technology, accelerating progress towards net zero by 2050. Information for third parties
If you wish to comment on matters relevant to the SAU’s evaluation of the Assessment of Compliance concerning DESNZ’s proposed subsidy to Cromarty Firth Port Authority, please send your comments before 5pm on the date stipulated in the timetable above. For guidance on representations relevant to the Assessment of Compliance, see the section on reporting period and transparency in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit.
Please send your submissions to us at: sau-pocf@cma.gov.uk copying the public authority flomis@energysecurity.gov.uk
Please also provide a contact address and explain in what capacity you are making the submission (for example, as an individual or a representative of a business or organisation).
Notes to third parties wishing to make a submission
The SAU will only take your submission into account if it can be shared with DESNZ. The SAU will send a copy of your submission to DESNZ together with its report. This is to allow the public authority to take account of the submission in its decision as to whether to give the subsidy or modify its assessment. We therefore ask that you provide express consent for your full and unredacted submission to be shared. We also encourage you to share your submission directly with DESNZ using the email address provided above.
The SAU may use the information you provide in its published report. Therefore, you should indicate in your submission whether any specified parts of it are commercially confidential. If the SAU wishes to refer in its published report to material identified as confidential, it will contact you in advance.
For further details on confidentiality of third party submissions, see identifying confidential information in the Operation of the subsidy control functions of the Subsidy Advice Unit.
Contacts
- SAU project team: sau-pocf@cma.gov.uk
- CMA press team: 020 3738 6460 or press@cma.gov.uk