An offshore wind project that is expected to bring up to 2500 local jobs and investment in the UK's economy has been given consent from the government to go ahead. Hornsea Project One will be made up of three offshore wind farms with a maximum combined capacity of 1200 MW.
Energy and Climate Change secretary Ed Davey said:
"Making the most of Britain's home grown energy is crucial to creating job and business opportunities in the UK, getting the best deal for consumers and reducing our reliance on foreign imports. Wind power is vital to this plan, with £14.5 billion invested since 2010 into an industry which supports 35 400 jobs."
Based 64 miles off the coast of Yorkshire, the project was one of eight renewable energy projects awarded an early Contract for Difference (CFD) in April 2014. These investment contracts are a major part of the government's Electricity Market Reform programme - reforms designed to see competition and markets attract tens of billions of pounds of vital energy investment whilst reducing the costs of clean energy to consumers.
It has been shown that almost half of the costs associated with building and operating a wind farm in the UK is spent buying services and products from UK businesses. This translates into real jobs, particularly in areas like Yorkshire which is becoming an energy hub. Earlier this year Siemens and ABP announced a combined investment of £310 million to develop new wind turbine production and installation facilities in Hull. This is one of the largest investments in the Humberside area in the last 50 years.
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