Wind News

Tuesday 30 June 2009

The south west is set to benefit from the government's decision not to require all offshore wind farms to be built 12 miles or more out to sea

Plans to develop offshore wind farms in the South West "can now move forward" following a comprehensive government assessment of environmental impacts, the southwest sustainable energy agency has claimed.

Exeter-based Regen South West, which is the renewable energy agency for the region, claimed that two offshore wind farms with a combined capacity of 2.5 MW "can now move forwards" following the publication of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) last week (June 24).

Announced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the SEA gave the green light for the development of 33GW of offshore wind power which will allow the Crown Estate to continue with the third round of leasing for offshore wind farms (see this New Energy Focus story).

Under the SEA there is also no blanket requirement of how far out to sea turbines must be, which is favourable to developments in the South West, where deep waters mean offshore constructions have to be closer to the shore, and means plans for the 1.5 MW Atlantic Array in North Devon and a 1 MW site proposed off the south coast in Poole Bay can move forwards.

"Huge potential"

Merlin Hyman, Regen SW chief executive, said: "Regen SW has pressed hard for the decision on whether to develop offshore wind to be based on the unique character of the area rather than a blanket approach. The fact that the government has responded by dropping the proposal for offshore wind turbines to be at least 12 nautical miles from the coast is vital for the south west."

Mr Hyman said that the projects could have "huge potential", as long as they were developed in a way which was "sympathetic to the marine environment" and took on board all considerations of the environmental impact assessment.

He said: "Manpower and expertise will be required in the construction industries; office and administration personnel will be necessary; foundations will need to be built on the seabed; marine-based inspections will need to take place; and there will be a continual need for operations and maintenance teams to keep the wind farms in top working order. It is an enormous opportunity."