Offshore wind farm developer named
THE CROWN ESTATE has announced that RWE npower renewables will take on the development of a £4 billion project to put an offshore wind farm in the Bristol Channel.
The announcement has the potential to pump millions into the local economy and provide hundreds of jobs during construction, with more long-term employment through maintenance.
In December the company opened the Rhyl Flats Offshore Wind Farm, in Liverpool Bay, off the coast of North Wales. The 9MW development was completed in 14 months and the 25 turbines will power the equivalent of 61,000 households.
With an EU target of 20% of energy sourced from renewables by 2010, the Crown Estate has this week made the third round of announcements, including the Bristol Channel.
The Crown Estate has invested £100 million in the programme which features nine zones around the UK's coast.
Rob Hastings, Marine Estate director, said: "The infrastructure programme has global significance and could require an investment of approximately £100 billion creating upwards of 50,000 new jobs.
"This gives the UK an outstanding opportunity to build a world leading industry that will contribute to both climate and energy security.
"This announcement demonstrates the considerable commitment of the industry and to paraphrase Mark Twain, those that think it's impossible shouldn't interrupt those that are doing it.
"The challenges are there to be overcome. Today the starting gun has been fired for a 10-year project to deliver 25% of the UK's electricity needs from the renewable resources of offshore wind."
The exact size and position of the Atlantic Array in the Bristol Channel, is yet to be confirmed, but is thought likely to be sited just north of Lundy, containing 250 turbines with a 1,500MW output and costing over £4 billion.
Planning permission and the necessary consents will be the next step for the developer, but the earliest start to construction for Round Three zones is thought likely to be in late 2014, with the bulk of the programme complete by 2020.
RWE npower have still to confirm which ports around the Channel will be favoured as bases for construction and then maintenance, but North Devon Council recommended Yelland on the Taw-Torridge estuary because of its surrounding industrial land and good access roads.
It is also thought to be the ideal site from which to run cables to the existing sub-station at Alverdiscott.
Ilfracombe — closest port in the Channel to the proposed site — is also being considered for the later maintenance requirements, though roads into the harbour are thought to be incapable of coping with the large lorries carrying massive sections of the turbines.
North Devon Council leader Des Brailey said: "We welcome this development. I think it will be tremendous to have this wind farm offshore, delivering a huge amount of energy, which will obviously take the pressure off the on-shore areas.
"I don't think a plethora of wind turbines should be put up on land, when you have the ocean, where this can be done.
"I hope that from our point of view the developers will look favourably on northern Devon, where Bideford, Ilfracombe and the Yelland area could be a part of this and as a council we will do everything we can to assist them."
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by Turbine hater, Devon
Saturday, March 13 2010, 8:41PM
“Looks like Nick Harvey has shot himself in the foot over this
& ricky knight ppc from The Green Party has had to go limping off to Bristol cos of his love of wind turbines which makes him a vote loser here in N.Devon. Think this area has clearly made up its mind over this failed technology which will certainly wipe out our fishing industry and tourism.”
by Joanne, North Devon
Sunday, January 17 2010, 4:03AM
“To Cyberman, cyberspace -
Never respond to silly anonymous comments sweetie! Try having some guts and put your comments with your name & address in the Journal and I'll be delighted to respond. Mind you, with a silly name like that - one doesn't have to be brain of Britain to guess you're a vanishing breed from the green party?
Not everything in life is about Jobs, Jobs, Jobs and supporting Multinationals!”
by roy morrish, Fremington
Tuesday, January 12 2010, 3:33PM
“Quite right, Cyberman, there are those who would have us back in the dark ages and then will be the first to complain.”
by cyberman, cyberspace
Tuesday, January 12 2010, 8:30AM
“Is this the same Joanne who wrote that hilarious letter this week - the one where she claims her 'friends' had told her that any announcement on these turbines was premature - only to have the contracts for them announced the very day after her letter appeared? Is she also the Joanne who lives behind the Yelland site which is to be used in connection with these turbines - you know -the one that will create jobs that Joanne doesn't want? Perhaps she could tell us where the 'resort' is that has lost business - or is this something else her 'friends' have told her? Oh one other thing she might like to tell us - where does she think our energy is to come from in the future if not from alternatives?”
by Joanne, North Devon
Monday, January 11 2010, 4:28PM
“Hate to be boring but inclined to agree with all the 3 comments so far. Disappointed with Des Brailey's comments in the Journal. I am at a loss to understand how anyone can 100% support ANY application for anything... specially one this large and complex & knowing very little about it? One would think that this will have absolutely no implications whatsoever for the environment if you listen to councillors and multinationals. I have it on good authority Des .... that by stuffing them into our seas and oceans does NOT mean that there will be FEWER on land! How can anyone who objects to them on land - actually SUPPORT them off-shore? Yes, I know the answer to that ....because some cllrs. have told me ...eg.
"Well, they are so unpopular on shore .... may as well stuff them in the Bristol Channell where we can't actually see them"! Very intelligent! Yes but on shore we can see the damage they cause .... in the middle of our seas and oceans... we simply will not be aware of the damage they will cause to marine life and the eco system. Typical selfish attitude.
Well, guess thats okay then! As long as the multinationals tell us everything is fine.... just like they do with the on shore
monstrosities.
I find it quite horrifying that we seemed to have learned nothing! Our cllrs. have not seen any environmental assessments or long term damage..... or the effect on Tourism/ fish/seals/dolphins etc. All they smell is Jobs!Jobs!
Jobs! Do they even know that the Tourist Board in one of our seaside resorts has had massive hotel cancellations because of the thump thump thump of the turbines? Have you even heard about holiday makers in Spain having their holidays ruined and cancelled beause hotels were being built next door? Tourists want PEACE AND QUIET when on holiday. Can you imagine the 5-6 yrs of building construction and the disruption & noise ?
We've screwed up our land environment ... and now we're going to do the same in our seas and oceans! But what the hell.... we 're homo sapiens and we're all that matters on this earth!”