Wind Energy

E.ON approves 219 MW UK offshore wind farm

Dr. Tony Cocker, CEO of E.ON UK, said: "This isn’t just an important announcement for E.ON, but is also a significant announcement for the UK. Increasing the proportion of electricity we generate from low carbon, renewable sources is a vital part of meeting the energy challenges we all face."

Prime Minister, David Cameron, said: "I welcome E.ON’s significant investment, which is a vote of confidence in renewable energy and in the UK market. It will create a thousand jobs in the next few years, spearhead development of the UK’s fast growing offshore wind power supply chain and strengthen links between the UK and Germany in renewables and grid."

Humber Gateway will be located 8km off the East Yorkshire coast, just north of the mouth of the river Humber. Further works at the site will begin in March with construction of the onshore substation, with a view to completing the project in Spring 2015.

The wind energy project aims to create up to 1,000 jobs during construction and a further 30 roles to operate and maintain the wind farm when it is operational.

E.ON is committed to growing its offshore wind fleet across Europe and this announcement forms part of a €2 billion investment programme in offshore wind power, encompassing Humber Gateway (219 MW) off the coast of the UK, Amrumbank (288 MW) off the coast of Germany and Kårehamn (48MW) off the coast of Sweden.

Amrumbank will be E.ON’s first commercial offshore wind farm in Germany and will use Siemens 3.6 MW turbines. Humber Gateway and Kårehamn will use new Vestas V112 3.0MW wind turbines.

These offshore wind farm projects are part of a €7 billion investment programme over the next five years, where E.ON will be creating industrial-scale wind energy, solar power and biomass power plants.

www.eon.com