Wicks consents to Walney - 450MW offshore wind farm planned for Irish Sea

Wednesday, 7 November 2007 15:17

The Government's commitment to renewable Energy is underlined again today with the go-ahead from Malcolm Wicks for a major wind project 14KM from Walney Island, off the coast of Cumbria. The Walney wind farm, from developer DONG Energy, is expected to have somewhere between 93-152 turbines, producing enough clean electricity for approximately 360,000 homes when fully operational in 2013. The world's largest offshore wind project - the 1000MW London Array - has also now...Request free trial

The Government's commitment to renewable Energy is underlined again today with the go-ahead from Malcolm Wicks for a major wind project 14KM from Walney Island, off the coast of Cumbria.

The Walney wind farm, from developer DONG Energy, is expected to have somewhere between 93-152 turbines, producing enough clean electricity for approximately 360,000 homes when fully operational in 2013.

The world's largest offshore wind project - the 1000MW London Array - has also now received its final consent. The overhead electricity line, that will eventually connect the onshore sub-station in Kent to the wind farm that is to be sited in the Thames Estuary, is green-lighted today by the Energy Minister.

This follows the announcement yesterday in the Queen's Speech on the forthcoming Energy Bill, which will contain measures to 'band' the Renewables Obligation (RO) in order to provide increased financial support to less developed renewable energy technologies, such as offshore wind.

Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks said:

"Our belief in renewables has been questioned recently by some but actions do speak louder than words. We are delivering on our promises to get projects such as Walney and the London Array through the system. The Energy Bill will allow us to increase the amount of backing schemes like this get from the Renewables Obligation. People should recognise that the UK, along with Denmark, is leading the world in the development of offshore wind power."

Notes to Editors

1. Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the consent decision for Walney had been taken in the House of Commons on 6 November 2007.

2. Walney wind farm - has been consented by Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks under section 36 of the Electricity Act and section 90 of the Town and Country Planning Act. It has also received consent from the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA - agency of Defra) under the Food and Environmental Protection Act 1985 and the Coast Protection Act 1949.

3. London Array - consent has been granted to the National Grid for a 400Kv overhead line under Section 37 of the Electricity Act.

4. For more details on the banding of the Renewables Obligation click here:

http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/renewables/policy/obligation/ro-energy-review/page27959.html