SMart Wind awarded 4GW rights to Hornsea Zone by the Crown Estate
SMart Wind consortium involving Simens Project Ventures (SPV) and Mainstream Renewable Power has been awarded the Hornsea area for the development of a 4GW wind farm in the latest round of the Crown Estate’s offshore wind program.
The Hornsea zone – just off the coast of Yorkshire – is one of nine that will be developed with a total planned installed capacity of 32GW by 2020. SPV and Mainstream Renewable Power will form the project development company, SMart Wind Limited, in which each has a 50% stake. Construction of the first phase is expected to be completed by 2014.
Commenting on the announcement, Mainstream Renewable Power’s chief executive, Dr Eddie O’Connor, said, “Through a combination of innovation and expertise and by working in close collaboration with The Crown Estate, we’re confident that we’ll deliver in record time. This is about delivering a whole new industry for the UK, one that provides sustainable, secure and indigenous power as well as tens of thousands of new jobs throughout the supply chain. This will have a major impact on the long-term economic development of the UK as well as positioning it as the global leader in offshore wind generation. It is our intention to work closely with local communities to ensure that this new industry brings real opportunities for jobs, training and new business”.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said, “Our island has one of the best wind- energy resources in Europe, and today’s news shows we’re creating the right conditions for the energy industry to invest in harnessing it. This is one of the strongest signals yet that the UK is locked irreversibly into a low-carbon, energy-secure prosperous future”.
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