UK Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has hinted at a forthcoming plan which would expedite permitting for major energy initiatives, including offshore wind, scheduled for release next week. The government is also targeting grid congestion by launching a ‘zombie-killer’ reform to cull stagnant developments which clog up the grid connection queue under the current ‘first-come-first-served’ principle. Given the UK’s cloudy weather, high population density, and the excellent wind speeds in the North Sea, offshore wind is only going to become more important to the national energy strategy over time. As the offshore wind industry moves forward, it is imperative to address three major challenges that offshore wind is faced with – permitting, cost, and grid connection – all of which require…