Wind Day, an annual worldwide event that celebrates the potential of wind as
a viable source of clean energy, by announcing progress on the 630MW first
phase of London Array, the offshore wind farm that is under construction in the
Thames Estuary.
The 1GW project, a joint venture between DONG Energy (50%), E.ON (30%)
and Masdar (20%), is scheduled to become the largest offshore wind farm in the
world, supplying clean electricity to over 750,000 homes in the United Kingdom
when fully complete. Located around 20km from the Kent and Essex coasts,
London Array will eventually cover an area of 245 square kilometers on the
Thames Estuary, and will be connected by undersea cables to a new onshore
substation currently being built at Cleve Hill on the North Kent coast.
Giving details of the offshore construction on the first 630MW phase of the
project, London Array said twenty of the planned 177 monopile foundations (175
wind turbines and two offshore substations) have been installed to date.
The foundation work commenced in March 2011 and Phase One of the project is
1/3
scheduled for completion by the end of 2012.
The wind turbines for Phase One will each have a capacity of 3.6MW, and a total
height of around 147 meters. The turbines will start generating electricity when
wind speeds reach 3 meters per second (m/s) or around 7mph. The turbines
will achieve full power from 13m/s (around 29mph). For safety reasons, the
turbines will start shutting down if the wind speed becomes greater than 25m/s
– equivalent to a force 9 gale.
In keeping with the project’s commitment to the preservation of the marine
ecosystem, vessels have been deployed for marine mammal observation duties,
prior to and during the piling operations to ensure the safety of all marine life.
London Array animation:
A broadcast quality animation of the London Array scheme is available for download by registering at
the Video Gallery section of www.eon-uk.com
DONG Energy is one of the leading energy groups in Northern Europe. DONG Energy is
headquartered in Denmark. The company’s business is based on procuring, producing, distributing
and trading in energy and related products in Northern Europe. DONG Energy has approximately
5,500 employees and generated more than DKK 60 billion (approx. €8.2 billion) in revenue in 2008.
DONG Energy is a market leader in offshore wind power, having built around half of all offshore wind
farms globally. The UK is one of DONG Energy’s primary markets for offshore wind. DONG Energy is
the sole owner of the 90MW Burbo Bank and 50% owner of the 90MW Barrow project, both of which
are in commercial operation in the East Irish Sea. The Gunfleet Sands I+II (total 172MW) commenced
construction in early 2008 in the Thames Estuary and are scheduled for commercial operation by the
end of 2009. On April 22nd 2009 DONG Energy announced it was to build the two wind farms Walney
I and II in the Irish Sea. Further, DONG Energy has a substantial pipeline of offshore wind projects
in the UK which are currently under planning and development. For more information, please visit
www.dongenergy.com
E.ON is one of the world’s leading power and gas companies. With annual sales of more than €82
billion and around 88,000 employees, it is one of the world’s largest investor-owned power and gas
companies. E.ON Climate & Renewables, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, is responsible for
E.ON Group’s global renewables and climate protection activities. E.ON is investing 4 billion Euros in
renewable generation and climate protection projects from 2010 to 2013 and will play a leading role
in the development of the renewables industry worldwide. We are already active in On and Offshore
wind, Concentrating Solar Power (CSP), Solar PV, and Biomass . E.ON currently has over 3.6GW of
renewable capacity in operation which makes the company a leading global renewable player.
In the UK, E.ON’s renewables development portfolio could, if fully built, power a million homesE.ON
owns and operates the UK’s first offshore wind farm, off the coast of Blyth, the 180MW Robin Rigg
offshore wind farm in the Solway Firth and the 60 MW Scroby Sands offshore wind farm off the coast
of Norfolk.. Renewable energy projects in other countries include Rødsand II, a 207MW offshore
wind farm of the Danish coast and, with partners, the 60MW Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm off the
north coast of Germany. This is the first deep water far shore scheme of its kind. www.eon.com
Masdar is Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted initiative advancing the development, commercialisation and
deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions. The company serves
as a link between today’s fossil fuel economy and the energy economy of the future - developing
the “greenprint” for how we will live and work tomorrow. Backed by the stability and reputation of the
Mubadala Development Company, an investment vehicle of the government of Abu Dhabi, Masdar is
dedicated to the emirate’s long-term vision for the future of energy.
Masdar entered into the London Array scheme when it purchased 40% of E.ON’s half share of
the London Array scheme, giving Masdar a 20% stake in the project overall. The London Array
investment is part of Masdar’s global alternative energy strategy which includes solar, wind and
other renewable technologies. Masdar, which works with a range of innovative renewable energy
companies and utilities, is continuously growing its portfolio of investments, partnerships and
production capabilities in the renewable energy and clean technology sectors.
For more information about Masdar, please visit www.masdar.ae.
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