Oil giant pulls out of wind farm project

Shell, the petroleum firm, has announced that it is pulling out of the largest wind farm project in the world putting the wind energy initiative in doubt. The project dubbed London Array which required an investment of two billion pounds will now have to get another stakeholder for it to move on. The wind farm was planned to be set up in the Thames Estuary.

On the wind farm project Shell was collaborating with E.ON and Dong Energy. Dong Energy is responsible for several wind power generation projects in Denmark.

The chief executive officer of E.ON, Paul Golby hinted that the move by the oil giant would have a negative impact on the wind farm project. Mr. Golby added that even besides the move by Shell, the project is faced by hurdles such as the high prices of steel as well as its supply limitations at the moment.

Wind farm schemes that are offshore such as the London Array are considered by campaigners of green power to be the main solution when it comes to meeting the renewable energy targets in the United Kingdom. One of the reasons is that in offshore locations, it is possible to build taller wind turbines than would be possible onshore and thus ensuring more predictable winds which are less negatively impacted by surface and terrain factors.

With wind turbines numbering three hundred and forty one the London Array wind farm will be the largest in the world if the plan comes to fruition. The project will be situated in an area where it would not obstruct the water traffic.