Will offshore wind be the key to UK self-sustaining energy?

Does Offshore Wind Power Work?

Howard Chapman| Managing Editor, Buildingtalk

• UK is the world leader in offshore wind, with more capacity in operation than the rest of the world combined
• Offshore wind provides thousands of employment opportunities across the country
• UK has enough wind to power the whole country 3 times over

OFFSHORE WIND WORKS is the latest multimedia campaign from Dong Industry, including posters on the London Underground and a myth-busting feature about Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm.

The Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm has a total capacity of 172MW, which means it can power 125,000 British households.

The UK offshore wind sector has been boosted by the announcement of plans for the construction of new wind turbine production and installation facilities on Humberside.

Siemens, one of the biggest wind turbine manufacturers worldwide, will partner with Associated British Ports (ABP) to build the facilities, together investing over andpound;300 million in UK offshore wind.

However, wind power is still controversial and some say it is a gigantic costly folly.

Watch the video about Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm

COMMENTS

Interesting video – but has there been any research into the noise effect on marine life?

Sue Butler – 1st October 2014

I understand that The wind farm has a total power capacity of 172MW. You can have power capacity, of course, but power capacity is not the same as power output. Apparently this wind farm supplies electricity to 125,000 homes, which is approximately 90% of households in the Tendring district and Colchester. But, of course, the question is if it really does supply 125,000 homes? According to a weather forecast, the wind speed in the Thames estuary on Thursday this week, 2 October 2014, and again on Sunday 5 October, will drop below what is needed to turn the turbine blades. If this happens, where would those 125,000 homes get their power from?

Hugo Summerson – 30th September 2014

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