World’s largest offshore wind energy system approved in the UK

UK government grants approval for the development of a massive wind energy system

Offshore wind energy will be getting a major boost in the United Kingdom, where the world’s largest offshore wind farm will be built off the coast of Yorkshire. The wind farm has received approval from the UK government, which has opened the way for the farm to take form some 80 miles off the coast of North England. The wind farm will boast of 400 turbines and the energy they produce will be fed back to the mainland so it can be distributed.

Project will require an estimated $12 billion to develop

The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck project, as it is called, will encompass some 430 square miles. The project is estimated to cost as much as $12 billion to develop. A portion of these funds will be coming from the UK government, while private investors and other sources provide the other funds needed to develop the project. Once completed, the offshore wind farm is expected to provide as much as 2.5% of the United Kingdom’s energy supply, which is enough to power approximately 2 million average homes in the country.

New wind farm may be the first step toward a larger endeavor

The location of the project is considered ideal, as it is home to a shallow seabed. This means that the wind turbines that will be used in the project can be installed more easily, which will reduce costs to some degree. The wind farm may also represent the first step for a larger project that would be three times the size of the wind farm. Such a project would seek to harness the powerful winds that can often be found at sea.

Development of new energy systems could help create thousands of sustainable jobs

The UK government believes that the new wind farm will also have a positive economic impact. According to Ed Davey, Energy and Climate Change Secretary, the new wind farm will create thousands of jobs in the country. Many of these jobs would be temporary construction work, but others would be permanent and sustainable.