Green light for Southeast windfarms

The government today gave the go-ahead for two major offshore wind farms, the London Array and Thanet systems, to be built in the Thames Estuary.

The schemes could together produce 1.3GW of green electricity, enough to power a third of London's three million households when fully operational. They will make a significant contribution to the government's aim, set out in the Energy Review, to deliver a five-fold increase in the UK's renewable energy resource by 2020.

The London Array will consist of 341 turbines,  each capable of generating 3 to 7MW, five offshore sub-stations and four meteorological masts. They will rise from the sea 20km off the Kent and Essex coasts and will occupy an area 232km² in size stretching between Margate and Clacton.

The £500m Thanet wind farm will be located approximately 11.3km from North Foreland on the Kent coast and its 100 turbines will occupy an area of around 35km². The project, led by developer, Warwick Energy, is being fast-tracked for delivery in 2008 and expects to provide electricity for around 240,000 homes.