bp and German energy company Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg AG (EnBW), have been awarded two offshore wind farm leases in the Irish Sea, with a total capacity of 3GW.

The companies were awarded the leases, which are considered ‘advantaged’ due to the distance from shore, lower grid cost and faster cycle time, in the UK Offshore Wind Round 4, the first such UK leasing round since 2010.

Once operational, the generating capacity of the projects is predicted to power more than 3.4 million homes.

The first lease covers an area of 300 square kilometres and the second 500 square kilometres – both make up an area equivalent to land half the size of Greater London.

bp Chief Executive Bernard Looney said: “Offshore wind is integral to delivering the UK’s green industrial revolution. Building on the UK’s strengths, the government’s ten-point plan aims to produce enough offshore wind to power every UK home, quadrupling output to 40GW by 2030 and bp is delighted to play a part in this.”

Frank Mastiaux, Chief Executive of EnBW, added: “In partnership with bp, a major player with international experience in the offshore business, we will once again contribute significantly to a climate-friendly energy future in the UK, which is currently the world’s largest market for offshore wind power.”