A new offshore wind farm capable of providing electricity to 230,000 homes has opened off the north-west coast of the UK.
The Burbo Bank Extension, off the Merseyside coast, comprises 32 turbines that stand at 640 feet – taller than some skyscrapers – and have 262-foot blades that can generate up to eight megawatts of power.
It’s the first time such energy production has been possible on this scale, with Dong Energy, the Danish company behind the project, saying that a single revolution of one of the blades could power one house for 29 hours.
As the project name suggests, this is also an extension of an existing wind farm, one that was built more than a decade ago.
The rate of technological advance has been huge according to Dong, who say that a single one of the new turbines can produce more energy than the firm’s original farm, off the coast of Denmark, launched 25 years ago.
Henrik Poulsen, the firm’s chief executive, said: “Burbo Bank Extension showcases the rapid innovation in the offshore wind industry.
“Less than ten years ago at Burbo Bank, we were the first to install Siemens 3.6MW wind turbines and in this short time, the wind turbines have more than doubled in capacity.
“Pushing innovation in this way reduces the cost of electricity from offshore wind and will help to advance the offshore wind industry across the world.”
