UK approves 9 new offshore wind farms in record day for British clean energy

Jack Aylmer

THE U.K. IS GOING TO BE HOME TO SOME OF EUROPE’S LARGEST OFFSHORE WIND FARMS-

WITH CONTRACTS NOW IN PLACE TO BUILD THE CONTINENT’S LARGEST AND SECOND LARGEST PROJECTS.

IN TOTAL, NINE NEW OFFSHORE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT THIS MONTH-

A SHARP INCREASE FROM THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR WHEN NOT A SINGLE ENERGY COMPANY WANTED TO CONSTRUCT A WIND FARM OFF THE U.K.’S COAST.

THESE NEW OFFSHORE DEVELOPMENTS WERE PART OF A RECORD SETTING DAY FOR THE BRITISH RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTOR-

WITH 131 CONTRACTS AWARDED FOR CLEAN POWER PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

ALL TOGETHER, THEY’LL GENERATE NEARLY 10 GIGAWATTS OF ELECTRICITY-

ENOUGH TO KEEP OVER SEVEN MILLION HOMES RUNNING.

BUT WHILE THIS WILL BE A BIG BOOST FOR THE U.K.’S RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY- THERE ARE STILL PROBLEMS WITH EXISTING CLEAN POWER INFRASTRUCTURE.

THIS PROJECT ALONG THE ENGLISH COAST, CURRENTLY THE LARGEST OFFSHORE WIND FARM IN THE WORLD, IS DEALING WITH ITS SECOND BLADE FAILURE THIS YEAR.

THE TURBINES MANUFACTURERS, GE VERNOVA, RECENTLY ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO COMMISSION PROCESS-

THE CLARIFICATION COMES AS RECENT INCIDENTS AROUND THE GLOBE HAVE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DURABILITY OF OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS.

FOR MORE STORIES ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY AT HOME AND ABROAD, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME – JACK AYLMER.