Seabirds measures delay wind farm bid
ENERGY: A multi-billion pound offshore wind farm development off the Yorkshire coast has been ‘minded for approval’ but faces further delay.
Energy Secretary Alok Sharma has announced that he is “minded to approve” the wind farm. Compensatory measures to protect seabirds in the area still need to be secured, however.
A MULTI-BILLION pound offshore wind farm development off the Yorkshire coast has been ‘minded for approval’ but faces further delay.
Energy Secretary Alok Sharma has announced that he is “minded to approve” the large offshore wind farm, Orsted’s Hornsea Three 2.4-gigawatt scheme, which would power more than two million homes, subject to receiving more information.
It came as the Government granted consent to Vattenfall’s 1.8-gigawatt Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind farm, which will have between 90 and 180 turbines and generate enough electricity to power 1.95 million homes a year.
Orsted is hoping for the green light for up to 231 turbines at Hornsea 3. However the project, located in the developing zone out of the Humber – already home to the world’s largest farm, Hornsea One – will not now get a final decision until later this year.
Compensatory measures to protect the kittiwake seabirds of Flamborough and Filey Coast Special Protection Area need to be secured before the development can be sanctioned.
It is the third project in the zone of four from the the Danish company, which has made
Grimsby its East Coast home. Located 120km offshore, it sits beyond the now built Hornsea One and soon-to-start Hornsea Two.
Unlike the first two, where electricity lands at Horseshoe Point, Lincolnshire, connecting with the grid at North Killingholme, this will hit land on the north Norfolk coast, linking with a substation on the outskirts of Norwich, if passed.
Despite the delay, industry body RenewableUK has welcomed the announcements, which come after a decision to turn down another offshore scheme and previous delays to Hornsea Three. RenewableUK’s chief executive Hugh McNeal said investments in major clean energy projects were “great examples of how we can get the economy moving again”.
They would boost the ability to meet the Government’s target to deliver 40 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, he said.
Mr McNeal said: “The landmark decision on Norfolk Vanguard means the UK is taking a significant step closer towards our net-zero emissions target, and confirmation of a positive decision on Hornsea Three will get us there even faster.
“Large scale offshore wind power is good for our environment and our economy, by tackling climate change while boosting productivity and creating thousands of jobs in the process. These projects will help us to maintain our global lead in offshore wind, as well as building up our UK supply chain.”
Vattenfall said its scheme, nearly 30 miles offshore, would employ more than 400 people at the height of construction, and contracts worth millions of pounds were about to start in areas such as additional offshore surveys.
Danielle Lane, country manager and head of offshore wind for Vattenfall in the UK, said: “This is a great step forward in the battle against climate change, to increase jobs and skills in the east of England, and for the offshore wind industry as a whole.”
And she urged: “It’s now vital that other shovel-ready renewable and low-carbon projects are also given the go-ahead as soon as possible”. She said the Government could “send a statement of intent to private investors that it is serious about rebuilding the economy though a green revolution” if it gave the go-ahead to schemes such as Vanguard’s sister project, the Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farm.
The UK has to go much further, much faster, to reach its targets.
Danielle Lane, country manager and head of offshore wind for Vattenfall.