Shell Wind Energy, E.ON UK Renewables and CORE Limited launched together the idea for the London Array offshore wind farm project. Twenty kilometers offshore in the outer Thames estuary 270 wind turbines will generate 1000 megawatts. They will be connected with the national grid system in Kent. The construction is planned in 4 phases. If the consents are granted in 2006, the construction starts in 2008 and will be ready in 2010 or 2011. The project costs 2,2 billion euros, and avoids 1,9 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. The applications follow an extensive selection process. This project is the first of the Round 2 UK offshore wind farm projects, which apply for consents.

Scira

Norsk Hydro ASA and Scira Offshore Energy Ltd. recently signed an agreement on the sale of 50% of Scira. Scira is a UK based wind power company, established to develop the 315 megawatt (MW) Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm off the coast of Norfolk in the East of England. It is owned by UK based wind development and engineering company SLP Energy and Dutch sustainable energy development company Ecoventures BV.

The British massive wind resource is necessary for the UK to meet the government’s targets for renewable energy. Renewable energy sources in the UK currently generate just over three percent of the country’s total electricity supply. About 30 percent of that comes from wind energy. The UK is amongst the windiest countries in Europe and accounts for more than 40 percent of the available resource.

The UK aims to boost renewable energy generation to 10 percent by 2010 and to 15 percent by 2015. The UK government has created substantial market initiatives to encourage projects that support its renewable energy goals. The new farms will place the UK market in a good position worldwide. They will supply a third of London’s domestic load, supplying more than 10% of the targets, thereby convincing everyone that wind is not insignificant for the UK.