UK Offshore Wind Projects Given Green Light

[jpak]

http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=46883

The British government gave the go-ahead yesterday for two major offshore wind farms -- the London Array and the Thanet -- to be built off the southeast coast of England in the Thames Estuary. Together, the projects will boast more than 400 turbines and are expected to produce up to 1.3 gigawatts of electricity when fully operational.

According to the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), the projects comprise the largest amount of wind power ever to be awarded consent by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in a single day.

"Britain is second only to Denmark in the offshore wind sector and projects such as the London Array, which will be the biggest in the world when completed, and Thanet underline the real progress that is being made," said UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Alistair Darling yesterday.

Located approximately 12 miles off the Kent and Essex coast in the outer Thames Estuary, the London Array will be made up of approximately 341 turbines generating 1,000 megawatts (MW). Development and construction on the project is expected to take place in two phases to allow monitoring results on bird impacts to be assessed.

<more>