Energy futureThree new wind farms in U.K.

Published 29 February 2008

Three new wind farms will have a combined output of 215 MW, which is enough to supply renewable energy to 109,000 homes; next year U.K. will overtake Denmark in percentage of national power generated by wind

Malcolm Wicks, U.K. energy minister, yesterday granted permission for the construction of three new wind farms in north Lincolnshire, south Yorkshire, and the Thames Estuary. The new wind farms will have a combined output of 215 MW, which the government claims is enough to supply renewable energy to 109,000 homes. E.ON UK Renewables (E.ON) has been granted consent to build a 66 MW onshore wind farm planned at Thorne, south Yorkshire while in Keadby, north Lincolnshire, Renewable Energy Systems (RES) will erect 39 onshore turbines capable of producing 85MW. A 64 MW offshore wind farm (Gunfleet Sands II) is also planned for the Thames Estuary. The development by DONG Energy will lay a minimum of five miles from the Essex coast at Frinton-on-Sea on the seaward side of the already consented, but not yet built, 90 MW Gunfleet Sands wind farm. Gunfleet Sands II will comprise a maximum of 22 turbines.

Real momentum for renewables in the U.K. is building,” said Wicks. “Through our Renewables Obligation we have more than doubled the amount of renewable electricity, and this will triple again to 15 percent by 2015 through changes in the Energy Bill. We are on course to overtake Denmark next year.”