ScottishPower Renewables receives planning approval for East Anglia THREE windfarm

ScottishPower Renewables has secured planning approval for the 1,200MW East Anglia THREE offshore windfarm from the UK Secretary of State for the Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

With the approval, the company will be able to install larger and more efficient turbines reaching to heights of 247m. According to ScottishPower, this is expected to ensure the supply of low-cost, carbon-free energy from offshore windfarms.

East Anglia THREE is to be developed 69km off the coast of Norfolk, East Anglia. It will be able to supply electricity equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 989,200 households.

The farm will be built across 305km² and will be equipped with up to 172 wind turbines. It will feature up to four offshore collector stations, two offshore converter platforms, and one offshore platform housing accommodation facility.

The project will also have up to four subsea export cables to transmit electricity from the offshore platforms to shore.

Energy development head Will Apps said: “Through the continued efforts of ScottishPower Renewables and their industry peers, the UK now benefits from a strong development pipeline of more than 11GW of consented capacity.

“This is in addition to the projects that are already built or are on track to supply 10% of the UK’s electricity demand by 2020.”

Following planning approval, ScottishPower is set to begin work for East Anglia THREE’s next phase of development, which includes preparation for future contracts for the difference (CfD) auction process.

The company expects to begin construction of the farm by around 2022 and commence operations by 2025.

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Image: Rendering of ScottishPower Renewables’ East Anglia THREE windfarm. Photo: courtesy of Scottish Power.