Some have fallen by the wayside, such as Doosan’s proposal to set up in Scotland, and ­Clipper’s ill-fated Britannia project in northeast England. Others have slowed their plans, as they try to ensure the ­timing is right for the heavy capital ­investments.

But others are pushing ahead. The urgency for those that want to lead the way has increased as developers prepare to submit consent applications for the first Round 3 projects over the coming months, with the most advanced hoping to start building in 2015.

Companies