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Largest yet wind turbines at Burbo Bank Extension

Burbo Bank Extension, the 258 MW extension to the original 90 MW Burbo Bank offshore wind farm built in 2007 and located in Liverpool Bay in the Irish Sea, was opened in May. The new wind farm is the first in the world to make commercial use of the largest ever 8 MW wind turbines from MHI Vestas.

According to developer DONG Energy, just one of these wind turbines produces more energy than the whole of Vindeby, the world’s first offshore windfarm constructed by DONG Energy 25 years ago in Denmark. Burbo Bank is a joint venture between DONG Energy (50%) and its partners PKA (25%) and KIRKBI A/S, parent company of the LEGO Group (25%). 

Henrik Poulsen, DONG Energy Chief Executive, said: ‘Burbo Bank Extension showcases the rapid innovation in the offshore wind industry. Less than ten years ago at Burbo Bank we were the first to install Siemens 3.6 MW wind turbines and in this short time, the wind turbines have more than doubled in capacity.’

‘The project has also helped to develop the UK supply chain. It is the first offshore wind farm to use UK-manufactured blades and the order for transition pieces was the first for Teesside factory Offshore Structures Britain,’ added Poulsen. 

Meanwhile, electricity has been generated for the first time at DONG Energy’s Race Bank offshore wind farm, located off the North Norfolk coast. With initial turbines installed, power from the first turbine is now being exported to the national grid. 

Race Bank will eventually consist of 91 turbines, each rated at 6 MW, including the first ever wind turbine blades manufactured at the Siemens blade factory in Hull which are expected to be installed later in the year. Once all 91 turbines are installed, Race Bank will be capable of generating 573 MW of electricity – enough to meet the annual electricity demands of over half a million UK homes, says DONG.

Also offshore, a new report from Scottish Natural Heritage says that marine mammals and seabirds will continue to use the waters around operational wave and tidal renewable energy devices. A major study of wildlife observations collected over ten years around wave and tidal energy test sites in Orkney has found little evidence of any long-term effects on the use of surrounding seas by the birds and marine mammals living in the area.

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