Dong Energy has made a final investment decision to build the 1.2GW Hornsea 1 offshore wind farm in the UK.
The Danish company said the Round 3 project will be the final piece in its 2020 offshore portfolio ambition of 6.5GW.
The project will feature Siemens 7MW turbines. It was awarded a Contract for Difference in 2014 and has been wholly-owned by Dong since February last year.
Hornsea was originally developed by Smart Wind, a joint venture of Mainstream and Siemens. It is 120km off the Yorkshire coast.
Dong chief executive Henrik Poulsen said: “We are excited about building this huge wind farm and pushing the boundaries of the offshore wind industry. Hornsea together with Race Bank, Westermost Rough and Lincs will make up a giant production area off the British east coast, supporting our efforts to deliver green and independent energy to society.”
Energy Secretary Amber Rudd said: “Thanks to Government support the UK is the world leader in offshore wind energy and this success story is going from strength to strength. Dong Energy’s investment shows that we are open for business and is a vote of confidence in the UK and in our plan to tackle the legacy of under-investment and build an energy infrastructure fit for the 21st century.”
Image: the Westermost Rough project off the UK east coast (Siemens)
