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The world’s largest installed windfarm, Hornsea 2, is now fully operational off the coast of Yorkshire, its developer Ørsted has announced.
With initial construction starting as far back as 2016, the 1.3GW project comprises 165 wind turbines and is located approximately 55 miles off the Yorkshire Coast.
Each turbine blade is 81m long, with the blade tips reaching more than 200m above sea level. A single revolution of the turbine blades is estimated to produce sufficient energy to power an average UK home for 24 hours. Around 242 miles (390km) of subsea export cables have also been installed.
The project is situated alongside its sister site, Hornsea 1, and together they can power 2.5 million homes. The UK has a stated ambition to have 50GW of offshore wind capacity in operation by 2030.
The Hornsea Zone, an area of the North Sea covering more than 770 square miles (approximately 2,000 sq/km), is also set to include Hornsea 3. The 2.8GW project is planned to follow Hornsea 2, having been awarded a contract for difference from the UK government earlier this year.
Image credit: Orsted
Ørsted now has 13 operational offshore wind farms in the UK, generating around 6.2GW of electricity combined.
Darren Ramshaw, an Ørsted vice president, said: “Thanks to all those who have built the windfarm, our operations and maintenance teams are already at work. Hornsea 2 is another brilliant addition to our East Coast portfolio. Now Hornsea 2 is fully operational, our total capacity from Grimsby is 3.8GW, providing enough electricity to power 3.3 million homes.
“It does not just stop there. By 2030, we will be on track to power over a quarter of UK households. Our teams here work tirelessly on making sure Britain is powered by clean energy.”
Duncan Clark, head of region UK at Ørsted, said: “The UK is truly a world leader in offshore wind and the completion of Hornsea 2 is a tremendous milestone for the offshore wind industry, not just in the UK but globally.
“Current global events highlight more than ever the importance of landmark renewable energy projects like Hornsea 2, helping the UK increase the security and resilience of our energy supply and drive down costs for consumers by reducing our dependence on expensive fossil fuels.”
Last year, a report suggested that the UK electricity system could handle up to 150GW of offshore wind on the grid, provided technical integration and market reforms to the UK energy system were addressed.
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