Proposed Offshore Wind Turbine Development to add 2.8GW of renewable power capacity to the UK.

Proposed offshore wind farm extensions are set to install seven new wind turbines off of the UK coast, extending the UK’s renewable energy capacity by 2.8GW.

The Crown Estate has already completed the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) for the 2017 project extension applications, which assesses the possible impact of the proposed windfarm extensions on relevant nature conservation sites of European importance.

The seven wind farms that will be extended are at Sheringham Shoal, Dudgeon, Greater Gabbard, Galloper, Rampion, Gwynt y Môr and Thanet. However, they will each have to undergo environmental assessments, surveys and planning permission before any work on the turbines can get underway.

This expansion of the UK offshore wind power network follows the news that the UK is the leading installer of offshore wind turbines in Europe so far this year.

Statistics from WindEurope say that the UK installed 931MW of offshore wind capacity, almost triple that of second-placed Denmark (374MW), and this huge expansion will continue thanks to wind turbine extensions like this.

Will Apps, Head of Energy Development at The Crown Estate, said: “Project extensions offer an efficient opportunity to unlock almost a 10% increase in the UK offshore wind portfolio, supporting the continued growth of the development pipeline and demonstrating continued strong market appetite for new projects in UK waters.

“In today’s increasingly busy sea-space, a collaborative approach will become all the more crucial, ensuring that the continued ambitious growth of offshore wind happens in balance with the wide range of other interests offshore. We’ll continue to work closely with customers, stakeholders and Government to address spatial challenges, in support of responsible, future deployment of UK offshore wind.”

Photograph: Wikimedia Commons

29 August 2019

ClimateAction