The apparent recommitment to offshore wind – albeit with conditions attached – sparked an immediate positive response from Spanish energy giant Iberdrola, which said it has today lodged a planning application for the 1.2GW East Anglia 3 project off eastern England.

The sector has been crying out for guidance on the timing and scale of Rudd’s plans for offshore wind since her Conservative Party took power at UK elections in May, and put on ice plans for more auctions under the country’s new contracts-for-difference (CfD) support system.

Admitting