U.K. Gives Green Light for Giant Hornsea Offshore Windfarm

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Three offshore windfarms with the potential to supply enough electricity for more than 800,000 homes have been given the green light by the U.K. government.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has cleared the Hornsea Project One offshore wind development for construction. Comprising three windfarms located 103 kilometres (km) off the coast of Yorkshire, the project is being developed by SMart Wind, a joint venture formed by Germany's Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) (Munich, Germany) and Irish company, Mainstream Renewable Power (Dublin, Ireland). SMart Wind has plans to develop 4,000 MW of windfarms in the region.

The Round 3 project was one of eight renewable energy projects awarded an early contract for difference in late April 2014--the government's new subsidy scheme for energy projects. For additional information, see May 2, 2014, article - U.K. Supports Eight Key Renewable Projects .

Depending on the size of the turbines selected--ranging from 3.6 MW to 8 MW--it is estimated that Project One will require between 150 and 332 offshore wind turbines. The nearest turbine will be at least 103 km from the East Riding of Yorkshire coast. The turbines will have a maximum rotor diameter of 178 metres, maximum hub height of 120 metres and maximum rotor tip height of 200 metres.

U.K. Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey explained: "With around 2,500 local green jobs on the horizon, this is another great boost for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Making the most of Britain's home grown energy is crucial to creating job and business opportunities in the U.K., getting the best deal for consumers and reducing our reliance on foreign imports. Wind power is vital to this plan, with £14.5 billion invested since 2010 into an industry which supports 35,400 jobs."

The eight projects that were granted early contract for difference deals with the government have a total generating capacity of 4,500 MW and comprise five offshore windfarms and three biomass projects:

• Beatrice offshore windfarm (664 MW) in the Outer Moray Firth, Scotland

• Burbo Bank offshore windfarm (258 MW) in Liverpool Bay

• Dudgeon offshore windfarm (402 MW) at the Wash, north of Cromer, Norfolk

• Hornsea 1 offshore windfarm (1,200 MW) off the East Yorkshire coast

• Walney extension offshore windfarm (660 MW), off Walney Island in the Irish Sea

• Drax Unit 1 biomass conversion unit (645 MW) at Selby in North Yorkshire

• Lynemouth biomass conversion (420 MW) at Ashington in Northumberland

• Teesside biomass with combined heat and power (299 MW) in Middlesbrough

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