Centrica plc (Centrica) has submitted a planning application to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) for its 620 megawatt (MW) Race Bank project. The application follows a full environmental impact assessment for the wind farm site, 17.4miles off the Lincolnshire coast and 16.8 miles off the north Norfolk coast. The energy produced will be sufficient to cater to the energy requirements of 420,000 British Gas Group plc. (BG Group) customers.
The development would include up to three offshore substations. The Race Bank development would be connected to the National Grid network at the existing Walpole substation.
The full environmental impact assessment (EIA) which accompanies the Race Bank application for consent looks at issues such as marine ecology and ornithology, shipping and navigation, socioeconomic impacts, commercial fishing and coastal processes. Centrica sought the views of key interested parties during its consultations, giving them the opportunity to comment on and influence the nature and type of environmental studies to be carried out.
In October 2008, the 250 MW Lincs wind farm project, 5 miles off the Lincolnshire coast, received official consent. Subject to Centrica board approval, a construction timetable for Lincs will be announced in due course. DECC is also considering Centrica’s planning application for the Docking Shoal wind farm, 12 miles off the coast of Lincolnshire and 8.7 miles off the north Norfolk coast.
It is expected that the development of these Greater Wash projects would take place through to around 2015 and would make a significant contribution towards the Government’s target of 15 per cent of the UK’s electricity from renewable sources by 2015.
Centrica Head of Renewables Alan Thompson, said: The recent energy crisis between Russia and the Ukraine underlines just how important it is to continually invest in the UK’s power generation. A responsible renewable strategy will play a significant part in ensuring Britain’s security of supply as well as delivering low carbon electricity for future generations.