The world’s largest offshore windfarm,
capable of supplying enough green energy to power around 600,000 homes, has
opened off the coast of England.
The Walney Extension, a Danish-led and funded project in the
Irish Sea off Cumbria, consists of 87 turbines covering an area of 145
square kilometres – roughly equivalent to 20,000 football pitches.
Nearly 12 miles off the coast of Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness,
the windfarm is capable of generating 695 megawatts and has been connected to
the National Grid by 300km of cables.
It becomes the largest windfarm currently operational in the
world, overtaking London Array located around seven miles off Kent in
the Thames Estuary.
Construction of the project started in 2015, and has been
completed by Danish energy firm Orsted, with the backing of two
Danish pension funds.
“The UK is the global leader in offshore wind and Walney
Extension showcases the industry's incredible success story,” said Matthew
Wright, Orsted UK managing director.
“The project, completed on time and within budget, also
marks another important step towards Orsted's vision of a world that runs
entirely on green energy.
“The northwest region plays an important role in our UK
offshore wind operations and our aim is to make a lasting and positive impact
here.
“We want to ensure that the local community becomes an
integral part of the renewable
energy revolution that's happening along its coastline.”
Britain is considered to be the best location
to generate wind power in Europe and the UK is the sixth highest
producer of the renewable energy source in the world.
In 2017, wind met a total of 15 per cent of the UK’s entire
electricity demand, the highest total in history.
The first quarter of this year also marked the first time in
British history wind power outstripped electricity production by nuclear
power stations.
Renewable energy of all forms now makes up almost a third of
the electricity generated in the UK each year.
Energy minister, Claire Perry, said: “Record-breaking
engineering landmarks like this huge offshore wind farm help us consolidate our
global leadership position, break records for generating renewable energy, and
create thousands of high quality jobs.”
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