East Anglia Offshore Wind has revealed more info on one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms to be constructed off Suffolk coast.
Joint venture between ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) and Vattenfall Wind Power Limited plans to develop one part of the 7,200MW project.
The East Anglia ONE Offshore Windfarm, located 43.4km from the coast will consist of 325 wind turbines and cover an area of 300km2.
Up to three offshore collector stations and two offshore converter stations will collect the electricity from the turbines and transform it to a form, suitable for transfer to shore.
From the converter stations up to four seabed export cables, each around 73km in length, will be laid to transfer the electricity to shore.
On the shore, around four onshore underground cables, each of around 34km in length, with circa eight cable ducts for two future East Anglia projects will be laid to connect the wind farm to the grid.
Following early consultation about the project and its possible environmental effects with consultees, EAOW has made the following key decisions:
“ To reduce visual impacts of the electrical transmission works, all onshore cables will be undergrounded and the offshore converter station will be located adjacent to the existing substation at Bramford.
In order to reduce impacts on marine mammals and fish, including impacts on a nearby herring spawning area, the use of monopolies [which were shown to give rise to the highest noise levels] as a wind turbine foundation option has been ruled out for the East Anglia One site.
To avoid effects on the commercially important Harwich and Felixstowe ports, the decision was taken to route the export cable away from the ports, dredged channels and anchorage areas.
As a result of the environmental designations and proposed flood management works, the width of the estuary and the unsuitable geology for cable installation, the decision was taken to avoid crossing the Orwell Estuary.”
If everything goes well, EAOW plans to submit an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the East Anglia ONE Offshore Windfarm at the end of 2012.
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Offshore WIND staff, March 28, 2012; Image: eastangliawind