Ørsted has gained consent for the 2.4GW Hornsea Three Offshore Wind Farm located on the East Coast.
Permission for the next stage of the Danish power company’s major offshore windfarm development was announced by Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, despite concerns over potential impact on local seabird populations.
The decision authorises the construction, operation and maintenance and decommissioning of the Hornsea Three offshore wind farm together with associated offshore and onshore infrastructure and all associated development
The wind farm could meet the average daily needs of well over 2 million UK homes, Ørsted said. It will be located adjacent to Hornsea One and Two.
“We are delighted to confirm that Hornsea Three offshore wind farm has been granted consent by the Secretary of State for BEIS,” said Duncan Clark, Head of UK Region at Ørsted.
“This determination is the culmination of a thorough and rigorous process which ensures that the project can deliver much needed clean energy at scale for the UK, whilst ensuring the potential environmental impacts of the project are minimised.
“We’ve worked closely with key stakeholders to develop a robust compensation plan focused on the implementation of onshore artificial nesting structures specifically designed for kittiwake.
“The unique compensation plan for Hornsea Three demonstrates that the industry can continue to deliver on the Government’s offshore wind ambition of 40GW by 2030 in a sensitive and environmentally responsible way and we would like to thank Shoney Wind for providing specialist knowledge on kittiwake artificial nesting towers.”
He added: “Climate change remains a very serious threat to our environment and habitats and there is an ever pressing need to act. Once complete, Hornsea Three could provide clean power to over 2 million UK homes and offset over 128.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
“It will make a significant contribution towards meeting the UK’s net zero commitments and in the crucial fight against climate change. We will now be reviewing the full Development Consent Order and will continue to work closely with stakeholders and local communities as we take the project forward.”
