The new offshore wind farm will have an output capacity of up to 1,200 MW and will incorporate larger and more efficient ‘next generation’ offshore wind turbines with a tip height of 247 metres, two and a half times the size of Big Ben (96 metres). East Anglia THREE will be built at a location 69 kilometres off the coast of Norfolk and could generate enough electricity to supply the annual demands of nearly one million homes. It will cover an area of up to 305 square kilometres and utilise up to 172 turbines in order to reach its full capacity.
At £119 per megawatt hour (MWh), the wind farm could generate power from its next generation technology that will make it the best value project in the UK with costs expected to fall further in future Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions. This will help to ensure that offshore wind is one of the cheapest forms of low carbon electricity. If the project is successful in the CfD auction process, construction could begin in 2022 with completion expected in 2025.
“Offshore wind has delivered on its promises from the outset” said Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower Renewables. “Our sector has met every technical and political challenge, grown the UK’s supply chain, and improved the technology at a rapid pace to allow projects to be deployed in ever harsher conditions. At the same time, the level of cost reductions achieved would more commonly be seen in consumer electronics. In a little over a decade, our sector has delivered substantial amounts of green electricity for the UK, supported billions of pounds of UK investment and created thousands of high quality jobs. With the support of a highly-skilled supply chain, East Anglia THREE will further enhance the UK’s leading position in offshore wind”.
Mr Anderson added that major contracts are already being delivered in towns and cities all across the UK, supporting jobs and investment in towns such as Hull, Hartlepool, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth.
ScottishPower Renewables is currently delivering the East Anglia ONE project, which has a capacity of 714 MW and is due to be fully operational in 2020. The company is developing four projects in total in the area, with a capacity of 3,500 MW.
Image: The Danish offshore wind farm of Middelgrunden, north of Copenhagen
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