ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) and Vattenfall, the developers of East Anglia Offshore Wind (EAOW), have revealed today that £6.65 million has been invested in the East Anglia region through contracts with local businesses over the last two years as part of plans to build one of the largest offshore windfarms in the world. It is estimated the joint venture’s investments have helped support almost 170 jobs across East Anglia.
East Anglia Offshore Wind has already placed a number of contracts with companies in the region. These include Gardline (Marine Services), Cefas (Marine Research), Brown and May (Fisheries Consultants), Consense (Online Consultation), Eastern Edge (Consulting) and Freedom Group (Land Agents) who are all working on East Anglia ONE, the first phase of the East Anglia Zone. As the development of future windfarms within the zone continues there will be further opportunities for businesses in the region to benefit from these types of contracts.
Development rights for the East Anglia Zone were awarded to SPR and Vattenfall by The Crown Estate in December 2009 and plans are already underway for windfarms that could power the equivalent of over five million homes.
Commenting on the announcement, East Anglia Offshore Wind Programme Director, Andy Paine said:
“With the help and support of local contractors, East Anglia Offshore Wind is making strong progress and we are on schedule to lodge our first application for consent this year.
“Where possible, East Anglia Offshore Wind seeks to use local contractors to ensure that the region benefits as much as possible from jobs and investment as a result of our development.
“We anticipate there will be further opportunities for businesses in the region as the East Anglia ONE windfarm progresses through its consenting, construction and operational phases.”
The Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas), the marine science executive agency of Defra, based out of Lowestoft, has been working closely with wind and wave specialists within the East Anglia Offshore Wind Team to gather crucial wave data for the development. They do this through deploying marine buoys which float on the sea surface to measure wave swells, speed and direction. In addition, Cefas deploy seabed landers to measure current speeds and suspended sediments, which are crucial to the engineering design of the turbines’ structure. This information is essential to East Anglia Offshore Wind choosing the right vessels to assist with the construction of the windfarm and in understanding the types of conditions the windfarm will be exposed to post-construction.
Dr Siân Limpenny, Cefas’ Offshore Renewable Energy Programme Director :
“We have been working with East Anglia Offshore Wind since January 2011. We’re advising offshore renewable project developers around the UK and internationally, and this one is particularly special as it is on our doorstep. It’s exciting to see the project coming to life and the scale of the long-term opportunities that may come from this – not just for us, but for the local community as a whole.”
[mappress]
Press release, November 2, 2012; Image: eastangliawind