UK's offshore wind capacity tops 2.67 GW in Sep 2012

Sep 28, 2012 - In September the installed offshore wind capacity in British waters surpassed 2.67 GW, with nearly 1 GW coming on stream during the month alone, wind and marine energy industries trade body RenewableUK said yesterday.

The organisation calculates that the figure represents over 60% of the total offshore wind power installed in Europe, which currently stands at some 4.3 GW. Denmark ranks second in terms of capacity with 867 MW of operating wind farms.

All offshore wind capacity installed near Britain can generate enough electricity to cover the demand of 1.8 million households and more.

RenewableUK pays special attention to three projects which were officially opened this month with a combined capital investment of more than GBP 2 billion (USD 3.3bn/EUR 2.5bn). The first week of September the 50/50 joint venture of UK utility SSE Plc (LON:SSE) and RWE npower renewables put on stream the 500-MW Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm in the Thames Estuary. On September 19, Swedish utility Vattenfall AB officially opened its 150-MW Ormonde wind farm off Cumbria. And finally, Norwegian utility Statkraft AS and oil major Statoil ASA (OSL:STL) opened yesterday the 317-MW Sheringham Shoal wind farm off the coast of Norfolk.

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