Our region set to massively expand offshore wind capacity

The SMartWind consortium has been awarded the contract to develop the Hornsea offshore wind farm zone—one of the largest Round 3 offshore wind farm zones, at 4GW capacity and worth £12bn.

How much energy will be produced?

The Humber offshore zone will generate 4GW—enough to power 2.7 million homes.

How significant is the site?

The level of investment is expected to be in the region of £12bn. The overall offshore wind sector has the potential to at least match the North Sea oil industry in terms of opportunity.

Who’s behind this venture?

The SMartWind consortium is a 50/50 joint venture between Mainstream Renewable Power and Siemens Project Ventures.

Why is this announcement important?

This is about delivering a whole new industry for the UK—one which provides sustainable, secure and indigenous power. It will also create tens of thousands of new high-value jobs throughout the supply chain: in manufacturing, research, engineering, installation, operations and services. This will have a major impact on the long-term economic development of the region and the whole of the UK, as well as positioning the country as the global leader in offshore wind generation.

Want to know more?

Yorkshire Forward will host an offshore wind supply chain event, in conjunction with The Crown Estate in Doncaster, on Friday 26 February, 2010. The event will act as a marketplace, providing information and networking opportunities to help companies do business and get involved in offshore wind developments.

It will also provide the opportunity to hear from government and industry representatives about the future of offshore wind, and to meet Round 3 wind-farm zone developers.

To register for this free event, visit our The Crown Estate event page or call 0113 3949711/12.