1.95 million homes are set to be powers by an offshore wind farm, in what is a monumental success for the renewable energy resource.
Wind farms have been a controversial topic since the larger farms have started to emerge, with many claiming they have a detrimental impact on the aesthetics of the surrounding area. However, as the benefits of this clean and renewable energy resource are being realised, more and more the visual argument is slowly fading. Furthermore, there is great news for wind power, as two big farms have had their plans approved by Boris Johnson’s Government.
The first is a 1.8 gigawatt offshore wind farm – the Norfolk Vanguard Project. Being built 30 miles offshore, the wind farm will consist of between 90 to 180 turbines and will power 1.95 million homes once complete, creating 400 jobs throughout the course of construction. A report suggested that there had been concerns over the landscape in an ongoing battle between aesthetics and energy return, but it seems the huge amount of clean energy generated outweighs the adverse impacts.
The second comes in the form of a 50-turbine farm confirmed for southern Scotland, that is set to be up and running by 2023. It will be the largest onshore wind farm within the UK, powering approximately 170,000 UK homes and saving nearly 300,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. Despite its hefty price tag of around £320 million, it is also the most cost effective onshore energy solution.
Our recent post outlined the increasing pressures being placed on the government to ensure an environmental recovery as we come out of the ongoing pandemic. Both are credited as being huge wins in the clean energy movement and the overall goal of reaching a net zero carbon footprint by 2050. Furthermore, this is a significant step forward in reaching the 40 gigawatts offshore wind target by 2030, laid out by the government.
If you would like to explore the clean energy options available to you to help reach the UK’s 2050 net zero goal, we have options available for both home and business – get in touch with us today to explore the options best suited to your goals.
