Search: go

News

UK offshore renewables powerhouse a significant step closer

Consents awarded for the first of the 'Round 2' offshore wind farms

Monday 18 December 2006

BWEA has warmly welcomed today’s consent for two new offshore wind farms by Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling and Secretary of State for the Environment David Miliband.  The two projects, London Array and Thanet, are the first consents to be awarded in the UK’s second phase of development offshore.

Together they represent potentially 1,300 megawatts of clean electricity – equivalent to over 1% of UK electricity supplies – and largest amount of wind power ever to be awarded consent in one day.

BWEA Chief Executive Maria McCaffery MBE said:

“BWEA is delighted by the first consents for the second phase of the UK’s world-leading offshore programme. The significance of these decisions is far greater than the projects themselves, although they will bring many notable benefits to the UK in terms of clean carbon free generation.

Far more important is the clear signal from the UK to the rest of the world that this country is open for business for offshore wind and we look forward to more consents in the near future.”

The UK is at the forefront of the offshore wind industry, with potentially 8,700 megawatts of projects at various stages of development, and is set to overtake Denmark as the leader in installed offshore wind generating capacity in 2008.

Notes

The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) is the UK’s leading renewable energy association, with over 300 company members. Formed 28 years ago, BWEA is at the forefront of the development of the UK wind industry, representing the sector to Government, business, media and the public. It expanded its mission two years ago to champion the emerging technologies of wave and tidal stream power generation.

Wind energy has now started a major expansion in the UK and will be the single greatest contributor to the Government’s 10% 2010 renewable energy target and 20% 2020 renewable aspiration. Together, wind, wave and tidal power can supply 21% of our electricity by 2020, resulting in over £16bn of investment in UK plc. See www.bwea.com/energyreview

UK offshore wind
There are two phases of development offshore in the UK – Round 1 which awarded 17 sites with 30 turbines and Round 2 – a far greater scope with higher numbers of turbines and at greater distances from shore.

Four Round 1 projects have already been commissioned, North Hoyle, Scroby Sands, Kentish Flats and Barrow, with a further project, Burbo Bank, already under construction and just last week contracts were signed for work on Robin Rigg, which at 180 MW, will be the UK’s largest offshore wind farm to date, and is expected to complete Spring 2009. Construction contracts for two further R1 projects are expected imminently. See www.bwea.com/offshore

London Array - up to 341 turbines, generating 1,000 MW, located 20km from the Kent and Essex coast. See www.londonarray.com

Thanet Offshore – up to 100 turbines, generating 300 MW, located 11.3km to the north east of the Thanet coast in East Kent. See www.warwickenergy.com/thanet.htm