U.K. utility Scottish and Southern Energy PLC (SSE.LN) and U.K. units of Germany's RWE AG (RWE.XE) and Spain's Iberdrola SA (IBE.MC) are among companies granted exclusive rights to develop over six gigawatts of offshore wind in Scottish territorial waters, the Crown Estate said Monday.

The ten agreements - to be made with nine companies and consortia - represent a key step forward for the U.K., which is relying on offshore wind to meet binding targets set by the European Union to boost renewable energy use and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

"Offshore wind represents an outstanding resource which, when harnessed, will make a very significant contribution to meeting the ambitious renewable energy goals for 2020 agreed by the E.U. last year," said Paul Dowling, Chief Executive of SSE's renewable energy development division Airtricity.

The U.K.'s Crown Estate, which owns the U.K. seabed around the coast and part of the foreshore, granted SSE a concession to develop offshore wind farms at Beatrice, Bell Rock, Islay and Kintyre.

The proposed wind farms could have a total capacity of up to 2,700 MW, SSE said.

At two of the four sites, SSE is in partnership with other developers, including Aberdeen-based energy investment company Ramco Energy PLC's (ROS.LN) SeaEnergy Renewables subsidiary.

Through SeaEnergy Renewables, Ramco is also in partnership with RWE Innogy, RWE's renewable energy unit, to develop the up to 905-MW Inch Cape offshore wind farm.

"Inch Cape presents an ideal opportunity to take advantage of the natural wind resources off the coast of Scotland to provide clean, green electricity while at the same time utilising the local skills and infrastructure that have supported the oil, ship building and power industries in the past," said RWE npower renewables Managing Director Paul Cowling.

Iberdrola's U.K. subsidiary ScottishPower Renewables is to develop a site west of Argyll and the island of Tiree.

The site has the potential to generate between 500 megawatts and 1,800 MW, or enough to power 270,000 to one million households, the company said.

"Scotland has the best onshore wind resources in Europe, and now it is taking its first steps towards harnessing its offshore potential, which will play a major role in helping to achieve renewable energy targets," said ScottishPower Renewables Director Keith Anderson.

E.ON Climate and Renewables U.K. Developments, a unit of Germany's E.ON AG (EOAN.XE), Dong Energy A/S., Fluor Ltd., Mainstream Renewable Power Ltd., and Fred Olsen Renewables Ltd. also won concessions, the Crown Estate said.

The next step for the developers is to begin intitial surveys and consultations on the sites while the Scottish Government conducts a Strategic Environmental Assessment, due to be completed January 2010.

The Crown Estate opened the tender for offshore wind sites in Scottish territorial waters in May 2008 with interested parties submitting bids in October.

Last year, the Crown Estate also launched Round 3, a separate offshore wind power licensing tender to develop 25 gigawatts of offshore wind in territorial waters around the U.K.

Interest in Round 3 has already exceeded expectations. Applications are to be submitted by the beginning of March and the Crown Estate hopes to complete awards by the end of 2009.

The Crown Estate has estimated that construction is likely to require investment of between GBP60 billion and GBP80 billion.

The U.K. is counting on development of 33 gigawatts of offshore wind to reach the E.U. target of getting 15% of total energy consumption from renewables by 2020 from around 2% now.

-By Selina Williams, Dow Jones Newswires +44 207 842 9262; selina.williams@dowjones.com