London Array, soon to become the world’s largest offshore wind farm off the coasts of Kent and Essex in the Thames Estuary, just switched on for the first time. The farm has been under construction since March of 2011 by DONG Energy, E.On, and Masdar. By the end of the year, 175 wind turbines will be providing clean energy.
Phase one will be completed by the end of the year, covering about 90 square kilometers. It will produce 630 megawatts of energy to power 470,000 homes. So far, only 15 of 175 turbines have been installed but they are already generating power. No sense in wasting time, right?
In phase two, a total of 870 megawatts will be produced. The team originally had plans for more turbines, but concerns over the negative impact on the red-throated diver population have caused them to scale it back.
This is great news in the world of clean energy, and excellent inspiration for other regions who want to utilize the power of wind.
Image CC licensed by Phil Hollman: Offshore wind farm, Thames Estuary
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