DESNZ Offshore Wind Consultation Analysis

Explore our case study to see how MCC supported the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in analyzing stakeholder responses to the Offshore Wind National Policy Statement (NPS) consultations. Our in-depth thematic analysis, expert policy discussions, and comprehensive reporting informed the UK Government’s policy decisions, ensuring a balanced approach to energy security, climate commitments, and infrastructure development.

What the Client Needed?

As part of the UK’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050, DESNZ sought to update the Offshore Wind National Policy Statement (EN-3) to reflect evolving energy needs, environmental considerations, and regulatory challenges. To achieve this, DESNZ launched a public consultation and re-consultation process, receiving thousands of responses from key stakeholders, including energy industry representatives, environmental organisations and NGOs, planning and regulatory authorities, aviation, shipping, and seabed users, and local councils and community groups.

How we Helped them?

Consultation analysis

MCC played a pivotal role in reviewing, analyzing, and synthesizing the consultation responses, delivering:

1. Thematic and Quantitative Analysis of Stakeholder Responses

  • Processed and categorized thousands of responses, identifying recurring themes and stakeholder concerns.
  • Analyzed sentiment and trends, determining whether responses were urging action, supportive with reservations, or providing advice.
  • Extracted insights from key questions, including:
    • Environmental mitigation and compensation strategies.
    • Planning, consent, and licensing considerations.
    • Grid coordination and offshore wind network design.
    • Impacts on aviation, shipping, and other seabed users.

2. Expert Policy Engagement and Recommendations

  • Led expert discussions with DESNZ to interpret consultation findings and assess policy implications.
  • Mapped out stakeholder positions on controversial issues, such as:
    • The balance between offshore wind expansion and environmental protection.
    • The role of multi-purpose interconnectors (MPIs) and grid coordination.
    • The impact of aviation radar interference and maritime navigation.
  • Provided strategic policy recommendations, ensuring that DESNZ’s approach aligned with net-zero targets, energy security goals, and regulatory best practices.

3. Final Government Consultation Report

  • Authored a structured, data-driven report summarizing the consultation results.
  • Highlighted key takeaways, including stakeholder sentiment distribution and areas requiring further policy refinement.
  • Outlined government response options, helping DESNZ refine the Offshore Wind NPS (EN-3) for future implementation.

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I was delighted that MCC's work was completed on time, and within budget, helping us deliver important changes and improvements, to the benefit of our stakeholders. ​ MCC's report is published on the CCC website.

- Bea Natzler
Team Leader at Climate Change Committee, UK

I am delighted to recommend MCC Economics. Specifically, I worked closely with PJ, who helped us with our Nuclear and CCUS projects. PJ helped us develop new policies and answer questions from our stakeholders. ​​His support helped us deliver important changes and improvements, to the benefit of our stakeholders.

- Gordon Hutcheson ​
Head of Nuclear Policy at Ofgem, UK

MCC Economics has helped us better understand the most important issues for our stakeholders, including: charges, shareholder returns, debt payments and inflation impacts.

- Leila N. Nasr
Section Head at Department of Energy, Abu Dhabi

I am delighted to recommend PJ and his team at MCC Economics. We've been working together on National Policy Statements to help meet net zero targets for 2030 and 2050. We initially appointed MCC Economics to support us on offshore wind consultation analysis and have recently reappointed MCC Economics to undertake a larger consultation analysis role across all sectors, including hydrogen, CCUS and networks. I can confirm that they have shown excellent spreadsheet skills, alongside very good project management, planning and analysis skills, helping us deliver important changes, and continuous improvements, to the benefit of our stakeholders.

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Head of Environment in the Energy Infrastructure Planning Policy, UK

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Director at Utility Regulator, Northern Ireland

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