London Array windfarm gets go ahead
The Labour Government has given the go-ahead for the world's largest offshore windfarm, known as the London Array, to be built off the coast of south-east England by a consortium including Shell.
The London Array will consist of 341 turbines located 12 miles offshore.
Together with the Thanet windfarm, also approved by the Department of Trade and Industry today and located in the Thames Estuary, the two windfarms are expected to produce 1.3 GW of green electricity - enough to meet the needs of 33% of homes in Greater London.
The £500m Thanet windfarm will be seven miles from north Foreland on the Kent coast. With 100 turbines, it is expected to be completed as soon as 2008, and should provide electricity for around 240,000 homes.
The environment secretary, David Miliband, said: "We expect this announcement will be the first of a number of large-scale offshore wind farms in the UK and will provide real impetus for the continued developments in the offshore renewable energy sector that will benefit generations to come."
20th December 2006
