East Anglia
One windfarm, off the coast of Suffolk, could become one of the largest
offshore windfarms in the world
An offshore
windfarm which could become one of the largest in the world has been given the
green light by the UK government.
Development
of the East Anglia One windfarm, off the coast of Suffolk, will involve the
installation of up to 240 turbines and, once built, will generate enough
electricity to power around 820,000 homes.
The scheme
is expected to support almost 2,900 jobs during construction and operation and
bring more than £520 million of investment into the UK economy, the Department
of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) said.
Some 1,800
jobs could be supported locally and generate half a billion pounds for the East
Anglian economy, Decc said, including £10m a year once it is completed.
Energy and
climate change secretary, Ed Davey, said: “East Anglia and the rest of the UK
have a lot to gain from this development.
“The
project has the potential to inject millions of pounds into the local and
national economies, and support thousands of green jobs.
“Making the
most of Britain’s home grown energy is crucial in creating job and business
opportunities, getting the best deal for customers and reducing our reliance on
foreign imports.”
The
scheme’s plan to install up to 240 wind turbines would make it significantly
larger than the London Array, off the Kent coast, which is currently the
largest offshore windfarm in the world.
Friends of
the Earth’s head of campaigns, Andrew Pendleton, said: “This is fantastic news
for energy security, jobs and the battle to tackle climate change. Ending our
reliance on dirty fossil fuels by plugging into our abundant renewable power is
absolutely vital for our future.
“It’s a shame
however that the government continues to speak with a forked tongue on
renewables. Simultaneously supporting and undermining the growing renewables
industry, and having a meek ambition even for offshore wind, is no way to
secure a clean supply of energy for the future.”
Ben
Stafford, head of public affairs at WWF-UK, said: “Today’s decision is a strong
vote of confidence for the UK’s offshore wind sector.
“Climate
change is the biggest threat facing our oceans and seas globally and is already
impacting on the UK’s rich marine environment. It’s therefore vital that we
find ways to harness the clean energy that marine renewables, such as offshore
wind, can provide.
“Projects
at this scale will also help to reduce costs, boost jobs and investment and
help to keep the lights on."
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