Swedish energy firm Vattenfall said Wednesday that the capacity for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone in the UK would be increased to more than 4.2 GW.
Vattenfall said that the expansion would not have any extra impact on local residents, with the construction taking place within existing plans.
Vattenfall says that the capacity expansion of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone means it will be able to power 700,000 more households.
"This will take the total to around 4.6 million [households powered] and make the Norfolk Zone one of the largest offshore wind zones in the world, helping to turn East Anglia into a superpower of renewable energy and delivering the government’s ambitious offshore wind targets. As construction onshore begins in earnest, it is also a chance for local businesses to take advantage of opportunities in the local supply chain," Vattenfall said.
The company says that the offshore wind farms in the Norfolk Zone are designed to deliver low-cost, renewable electricity to homes and businesses across the UK, using more powerful turbines and world-leading design, including a coordinated grid connection.
Rob Anderson, Project Director of Vattenfall’s Norfolk Zone, said: "We’re really pleased that we’ve been able to increase the capacity of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone with no additional impact on residents. Along with helping to boost the East Anglian economy with jobs, skills and supply chain opportunities, the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone will power even more UK homes with clean energy while turning the region into a powerhouse of renewable energy.
Back in July, Vattenfall won Contracts for Difference for the Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farm, the first phase of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone.
The UK government awarded Vattenfall a CfD at £37.35/MWh (2012 prices) for the 1.4GW Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farm.
In this first phase, Norfolk Boreas will secure renewable electricity, equivalent to meeting the needs of around 1.5 million households in the UK.
With construction planned to begin next year, Norfolk Boreas is the first phase of Vattenfall’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone, coming ahead of the Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind farm.
According to Vattenfall, the Norfolk Boreas wind farm will feature turbines with a maximum tip height of up to 350 meters, around two and a half times the height of the London Eye. Each turn of a turbine blade could power an average UK home for more than two days, the company said.
Norfolk Boreas will deliver its first power in the mid-to-late-2020s and save around 2.3 million tonnes of CO2 once fully operational.
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