Offshore wind schemes make waves

Wind energy developers have signed agreements with The Crown Estate to develop a series of large-scale offshore projects in nine zones around the British coast from the Moray Firth to west of the Isle of Wight.

Potentially the locations could provide some 32 gigawatts (GW) of power, a quarter of the country’s electricity demand.

All the offshore wind schemes will need significant land-based infrastructure in the shape of sub-stations and grid connections and will generate activity at a large number of British ports and harbours.

The lion’s share of the activity is earmarked for the east coast of Britain where five zones are involved:

• Moray Firth (1.3 GW)
• Firth of Forth (3.5 GW)
• Dogger Bank (9 GW)
• Hornsea (4 GW)
• Norfolk Bank (7.2 GW)

 

There are two zones off the English south coast. One is off Hastings and the other is west of the Isle of Wight. Together they could provide 1.5 GW of power. 

Also in the frame is a Bristol Channel zone (1.5 GW) and one in the Irish Sea between Anglesey and the Isle of Man which could support plans for up to 4.2 GW.

The Government has estimated that the schemes could support up to 70,000 jobs by 2020 as well as making a significant contribution to the UK’s challenging carbon emission reduction targets.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “Our policies in support of offshore wind energy have already put us ahead of every country in the world. This new round of licences provides a substantial new platform for investing in UK industrial capacity.”

Read The Crown Estate press release

 

Roger Milne

14 January 2010