Government gives green light to offshore wind farm, supporting almost 2,900 jobs
The East Anglia One offshore wind farm that is expected to support almost 2,900 jobs and bring over £520 million of investment into the UK’s economy has today been given consent from the government to go ahead.
This is an important milestone for what could be one of the largest wind farms in the world. Once built, it would be worth £10 million a year to the East Anglian economy and generate enough electricity to power approximately 820,000 homes.
Based off the coast of Suffolk, East Anglia One offshore wind farm could support around 1,800 local jobs and pump over £500 million into the region’s economy.
The decision underlines how the government’s policies have made the UK the best place in the world to invest in offshore wind.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said:
“East Anglia and the rest of the UK have a lot to gain from this development. The project has the potential to inject millions of pounds into the local and national economies, and support thousands of green jobs. Making the most of Britain’s home grown energy is crucial in creating job and business opportunities, getting the best deal for customers and reducing our reliance on foreign imports.”
East Anglia One currently plans to install up to 240 wind turbines, meaning the wind farm would be significantly larger than the current biggest wind farm in the world, the London Array, which is also in the UK.
Notes to editors
- The developer is East Anglia Offshore Wind Limited. It is a joint venture owned 50:50 by ScottishPower Renewables and Vattenfall.
- Construction is expected to start in 2017 with the offshore installation commencing in 2018.
- The developer estimates that generation will start in 2019.