LONDON: British energy major BP on Monday entered the UK offshore wind sector alongside German peer EnBW, after authorities awarded rights to build wind farms to help cut carbon emissions.

The oil giant and German power firm Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg AG (EnBW) have been selected as preferred bidder for two 60-year leases in the North Sea.

“This marks BP’s entry to the UK’s offshore wind power sector, currently the largest in the world, and is further progress towards BP rapidly building a world-class wind energy business,” a statement said.

“Once operational, this generating capacity would be sufficient to power more than 3.4 million UK households with clean electricity.”

BP itself is targeting “net zero” carbon emissions by 2050 as part of broader plans to offset declining oil and gas production with greater output from sustainable energy sources, such as electricity and wind.