21/11/2003

UK's first offshore wind farm delivers green power

The UK's vast wind power potential become a reality today when Britain's first major offshore wind farm began to deliver electricity ashore.

The North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm, located 7-8 km off the North Wales coast between Prestatyn and Rhyl, was "switched on" at events staged jointly in North Wales and London by energy supplier, npower, and environmental group Greenpeace.

In an address broadcast at both events, the Prime Minister praised the unique alliance between npower and Greenpeace in the wind farm project as an "unlikely partnership" and congratulated all those involved in the project.

He said: "Rolling out this first large-scale offshore wind venture is a highly significant step toward achieving Britain's renewables goal. We are on our way to a future that can be transformed by the use of clean forms of energy. I look forward to celebrating further successes with you along the way."

The project took eight months to complete and will offset the release of 160,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per year. The 30 turbines will supply clean power for up to 50,000 homes.

Andrew Duff, Chief Executive Officer of npower and RWE Innogy, which built North Hoyle, said it would be a "tangible symbol" for people who want to protect the environment.

Energy Minister Stephen Timms said the government had set a target so that, by 2010, it was hoped that 10% of electricity would be generated from renewable resources.

In a joint statement npower and Greenpeace also announced the creation of the "npower Juice Fund", designed to assist the development of projects in other renewable energy fields such as wave and tidal energy.

npower will make an annual contribution of £10 for every customer that stays with npower Juice - up to a maximum of £500,000 per year.

North Hoyle was developed by National Wind Power, part of RWE Innogy, Britain's largest producer of renewable energy.

The wind farm will have a total installed capacity capable of generating 60 megawatts (MW).

(SP)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

13 February 2002
Wind power expansion set for Northern Ireland
Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, has announced that his Department and the Crown Estate have agreed the terms of a competition to offer a lease of a site off the North Coast of Northern Ireland for the development of a wind farm of at least 150 megawatts.
04 October 2010
Ireland At The Forefront Of Renewable Energy
Ireland is playing a lead role in Europe in adding wind power and other renewables to our energy supplies, according to a new report .
18 June 2002
Tyrone wind blows in £15 million power deal
Energia, Ireland’s largest independent electricity supplier, recently announced the signing of a contract worth £15 million to buy energy from a wind farm in County Tyrone. Energia has contracted with the two leading renewable energy companies, Antrim-based B9 and Renewable Energy Systems of Hertfordshire to purchase the output from a 7.
06 June 2012
Airtricity To Host Wind Farm Open Day
Airtricity, Northern Ireland's greenest energy generator is hosting a Wind Farm Open Day at its new Slieve Kirk Wind Farm near Derry/Londonderry, on Saturday 16th June from 11am to 3pm. Airtricity's Wind Farm Open Day is a fun free event for all the family and is all part of Global Wind Week 2012.
25 August 2009
Turbine Servicing Firm's Irish Strategy
Belfast-based Barton Industrial Services has expanded its activities within the multi-billion pound wind energy industry, with help from Invest NI. The firm designs and supplies a range of safety devices that aid working at height by preventing and minimising falls.