London Array: Word's Largest Wind Farm

The London Array, if built, would be the world's largest wind farm, generating up to 1,000 MW of electricity, enough for 25% of greater London's homes. On June 6 London Array Limited submitted plans to build the project.  They were the first of round two UK wind farm projects awarded an option by the Crown Estate in 2003.  The full development is estimated to cost 1.5 billion pounds and will require up to 270 wind turbines.  It would be located in the outer Thames Estuary, more than 20 kilometers offshore, where there is expected to be little visual impact from the coastline.  The wind farm would avoid emissions of up to 1.9m tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

The consortium of CORE Limited, E.ON UK Renewables and Shell WindEnergy Limited would build the project.  If permits are granted the program would be built in four phases, with all phases completed by 2010/2011. 

This project would be an important step in demonstrating that offshore wind power can be a major contributor to our renewable energy portfolio and its accompanying reduction of fossil fuel dependence.

Technocrat tags: wind power, wind farm, renewable energy

Comments

[Rucio]

Is 1,000 MW one-fourth of London's average load? If so, then this 152-square-mile installation will actually produce much less than that on average: The industry predicts 40%, but it could be as low as 20%, particularly because of the stress of the environment out there, of its 1,000-MW capacity. And that's an average -- two-thirds of the time it will produce much less. And when production rises, it will only rarely correspond with rising demand. For 1.5 billion pounds, you'd think they'd want something a little more reliable.

[Jez]

These same guys manage to build oil rigs that withstand the North Sea. It's most unlikely that windmills in the Thames Estuary are a bigger challenge.

And out at sea, a total lack of wind is a frequent problem of course...

It's amazing what arguments these pro-nukes come up with.

[mark]

Up time is always used as a reason against wind. What is not mentioned is that most gas and coal stations have surplus capacity to allow for all the routine maintenance and peak power demand. If you are a thermal power station in Europe or the US you will likely only run at 30-70% of you name plate capacity throughout the year. Similar to wind. Either way you have to build larger capacity to balance the variability of demand and availability

[asil]

various artists
komik resimler
gül resimleri
asp script indir

[Alexander]

Wind power is not a solution.
The whole truth about wind turbines is never told by lobbyists and governments.
How could the very weak and extremely unreliable initial energy source of a wind turbine ever produce a steady power of any significance?
Please think!
And read: “Wind energy- the whole truth” at: http://www.windenergy-the-truth.com/
And to show how completely irrelevant wind power is in regard to the worldwide energy and climate crisis visit the following link: http://www.bp.com/iframe.do?categoryId=9024179&contentId=7044895
And play around with the charts you see there (The BP charts regarding energy reserves and energy consumption worldwide over the last 20 to 40 years.) and make some calculations. And if you don´t get confused with the zeros, you will get my point.
The resources now poured into futile, but very ingenious and high-tech windmills, could be far better used for, for example:
1) Burning coal in a cleaner way,
2) Efficiency of energy use in the broadest sense of the word
3) Promoting a drastic change of life style (There are about 6.5 billion people, who all have the right to have some energy to their disposal).
Just 3 ideas.
Alexander