4GW wind farms power 2.3 million UK homes

British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), the leading renewable energy trade association in the UK, said that the country is producing sufficient wind energy-generated electricity to serve all Londoners living south of the river. With 30 wind turbines off Essex coast generating electricity, the UK now has enough four-gigawatt capacity to power 2.3 million homes, equivalent to half of England or the whole of Scotland. In addition, the wind farms will save six million tons of coal per year, putting the UK on track to its green energy targets.

The milestone was reached after the commissioning of three wind farms, namely the EDF Energy Renewables’ 38MW Longpark, Scottish Power Renewables’ 30MW Dun Law and Dong Energy’s 173MW Gunfleet Sands.

The news was praised by key policymakers and leading industry figures. Adam Bruce, Chairman of BWEA, said that the delivery of the fourth gigawatt of wind power in the middle of the UK’s worst economic downturn is a good indication of the wind energy sector’s maturity and resilience.

Maria McCafferty, Chief Executive of BWEA, stated that the UK is on course to hit next year’s 10 per cent target of using renewable energy and 2020’s goal of utilizing 30GW wind power capacity.

The UK took 14 years to build the country’s first gigawatt in 2005. But the following 3GW just only required four years, with the last 1GW installed in less than a year. The BWEA plans to provide a total of 6GW of wind power capacity by the end of 2010.