What does government's biggest ever wind farm expansion mean for Norfolk? |
The government has awarded subsidy contracts to developers for wind farms with a capacity of 8.4 gigawatts, enough to power more than 12 million homes.
Hundreds of wind turbines will be built off the Norfolk coast (Image: Vattenfall)
More than a third of the UK's total capacity has been handed to German energy company RWE's Vanguard East and West wind farm projects (3.1GW), located 50 to 80 kilometres off the coast of Norfolk.
Once operational, the two wind farms will generate enough electricity to power around three million homes.
The wind farms are part of RWE's Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone, which is made up of Vanguard East, West and Boreas, featuring 276 turbines.
RWE's Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone (Image: RWE)
Construction of the onshore underground cable route began in 2023, with cables delivering electricity ashore at Happisburgh and connecting to the National Grid at Necton.
RWE expects the wind farms to be complete and generating electricity by 2030.
Denise Hone, chairwoman of Eastwind, said it is a “major boost for East Anglia".
Denise Hone,........