After 12 years in development, Britain has officially opened the world’s largest offshore windfarm, the London Array, in the Thames Estuary. The London Array comprises 175 2.6 megawatt wind turbines, which combined can produce enough electricity for more than half a million homes.
One of the developers behind the project, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of renewable energy company Masdar, asserted that “projects like the London Array demonstrate the economic opportunity of large-scale renewable energy projects, from the direct investment they attract to the industries the strengthen”. The project is owned by DONG Energy, Masdar, and E.On.
Singing his government’s praises when officially opening the project (although it’s been in full operation for a few months), Prime Minister David Cameron added that “we are making this country incredibly attractive to [renewable energy] investment. Cameron also stated that the opening of the 175 turbine project is “a great day for Britain and a big win for renewable energy.”
Britain is the world leader in offshore wind capacity, having 74% of the global market. It has a stated goal of generating 18 gigawatts of wind power capacity by 2020 – which it is heavily relying on to help meet its binding emissions reduction targets.
Image via London Array
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