I’m a bit late getting to this news:
London could see a quarter of its electricity come from 270 wind turbines in what would be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Shell and several energy partners said Tuesday in applying for permits to build the $2.7 billion project.
The London Array project would place the turbines on offshore platforms where the Thames River meets the North Sea around 60 miles outside London.
The turbines would generate around 1,000 megawatts and connect into Britain’s national grid to supply power for more than 750,000 homes, helping meet Prime Minister Tony Blair’s target of generating 10 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2010.
Needless to say, such a massive project has generated controversey: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has some concerns about the impact of the wind farm on 8,000 red throated divers, an internationally protected seabird. The Royal Society, though, has just published a report claiming that offshore wind installations are unlikely to harm bird population.
Via ClimateArk.
Technorati tags: wind power, Great Britain, birds