World’s biggest offshore wind farm dubbed Hornsea II gets green light in move that could add £450m a year to Britain’s bills
Hornsea II is a massive 300 wind turbine project that could power 1.6 million homes
THE WORLD’s biggest offshore wind farm is to be built off the Yorkshire coast in a move that could add a whopping £450 million a year to electricity bills.
Planning chiefs yesterday gave the green light to a huge 300 wind turbine project drawn up by Danish giant Dong.
The wind farm – dubbed Hornsea II – could power as many as 1.6 million homes.
Dong has already secured planning permission for an adjacent site in the North Sea.
Together, the two wind farms would cover an area double the size of the London 90km from Hull. At 623ft the turbines are almost twice as high as Big Ben.
Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: “The UK’s offshore wind industry has grown at an extraordinary rate over the last few years.
“And it is a fundamental part of our plans to build a clean, affordable and secure energy system.”
Pricing details will not be worked out until Dong takes a final investment decision on the Hornsea II project.
But experts said that with the current level of subsidies on offer for renewable technology – to encourage their development – the wind farm could cost bill payers a small fortune in “top up payments”.
Related stories
Currently wind farm operators can command guaranteed payments of as much as £110 per MwH of electricity produced – more than double the current price on wholesale markets.
At full production, this would see Dong pocketing around £450 million a year.
Today's move came just weeks after the Government delayed plans for a new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point.
The proposed eye-watering contract for the nuclear power plant could add as much as £1.5 billion a year to bills.
Britain faces an energy crunch as existing nuclear plants which produce a fifth of the country’s electricity due to close by 2030. And the Government also wants to close coal-fired plants by 2025 as part of its effort to meet climate change targets.
Former Energy Secretary Amber Rudd delayed a decision on Hornsea II in May amid concerns for porpoises in the North Sea.