Cumbrian wind gains strength
The go ahead for one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms to date will be announced by the Prime Minister today, in a speech to business leaders.
The 500MW West of Duddon Sands wind farm is planned near Walney Island off the coast of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria and will comprise of up to 139 turbines. The developers, Morecambe Wind Limited, estimate the wind farm could provide the equivalent of around 372,000 homes with clean, green electricity.
The Energy Secretary John Hutton has also approved an updated application from Ormonde Energy Limited to build a 150MW wind farm comprising of up to 30 turbines, which will also be sited near to Walney Island.
John Hutton said:
“These wind farms demonstrate our commitment to dramatically increase the amount of energy we generate from renewable sources, helping to cut the UK’s carbon emissions and secure our energy supplies.
“West of Duddon Sands will be one of the three largest wind farms approved to date and will help provide a significant contribution towards our renewable energy targets.
“Companies want to build here because we have made the UK one of the most attractive places to invest in offshore wind. It won’t be long before enough offshore wind power is plugged in to the grid to make us world leaders, a fantastic achievement in less than a decade.”
Both approvals have conditions attached. The developers, in consultation with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, will put in place appropriate measures to alert shipping to the presence of the wind farms throughout their lifetimes. This will include construction, normal operation and any emergency operation phases. Extensive guidance exists on this subject on the MCA’s website. The developers must also make a contribution towards the cost of establishing and running an MCA operated Vessel Traffic Service which will provide information to shipping near the wind farm. This will be particularly useful during periods of bad weather and poor visibility.
Notes to Editors:
1. The Prime Minister will be speaking at the CBI Scotland’s Annual Dinner.
2. Consent has been granted to Morecambe Wind Limited (a consortium comprising of Scottish Power, Eurus Energy and DONG Energy) under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the construction and operation of a 500MW offshore wind farm (West of Duddon Sands) off the coast of Cumbria. Consent has also been granted under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for onshore works.
3. The Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) has also licensed West of Duddon Sands wind farm under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and the Coast Protection Act 1949. This includes a requirement for a robust monitoring programme of a wide range of bird species to be put in place prior to construction and for a period of three years post construction. The MFA will decide how this programme will be carried out following consultation with Natural England.
4. Consent has been granted to Ormonde Energy Limited under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the construction and operation of a 150MW offshore wind farm off the coast of Cumbria (previous approval in February 2007 was for a 108MW wind farm). Consent has also been granted under the Town and Planning Act 1990 for onshore works.
5. The MFA does not need to issue the Ormonde wind farm new consents under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 and the Coast Protection Act 1949 as these were granted on 9th February 2007 when the initial application was granted approval.
6. The Government’s Renewable Energy Strategy consultation was launched on 26th June 2008. It is seeking views on how to drive up the use of renewable energy in the UK, as part of our overall strategy for tackling climate change and to meet our share of the EU target to source 20% of the EU’s energy from renewable sources by 2020. Responses to the consultation will help shape the UK Renewable Energy Strategy which will be published in spring 2009, once the UK’s share of the target has been agreed.
7. Five offshore wind farms are currently under construction in UK waters: Eon’s Robin Rigg A and B (180MW), npower’s Rhyl Flats (90MW), Centrica’s Lynn and Inner Dowsing (184MW). Construction on onshore works has also commenced on three further offshore wind farms, DONG’s Gunfleet Sands I and II (172MW) due to commission in 2009 and SSE’s 504MW Greater Gabbard due to commission in 2011.
8. In 2007 total electricity generation from renewables increased by 1,548GWh (8.5%) to 19,664 GWh. Generation from wind (both onshore and offshore) overtook hydro to become the largest renewables technology in output terms, with both closely followed by landfill gas.
9. The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform helps UK business succeed in an increasingly competitive world. It promotes business growth and a strong enterprise economy, leads the better regulation agenda and champions free and fair markets. It is the shareholder in a number of Government-owned assets and it works to secure, clean and competitively priced energy supplies
Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform
7th Floor, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET
Public enquiries +44 (0)20 7215 5000
Textphone +44 (0)20 7215 6740 (for those with hearing impairment)
http://www.berr.gov.uk
Client ref 2008/185
COI ref 165167P
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (National)
4 September 2008
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