The huge demand for shifting towards green and renewable energy sources is now gaining ground as recently, Hornsea 2, the world’s largest offshore wind project by the U.K, has started working at its full capacity. This largest offshore wind farm, positioned in the North Sea, is capable of generating 1.3 GW of energy, which is enough to power 1.4 million homes in the U.K. The project also focuses on achieving sustainability with net zero emissions by the end of 2050, and this is the reason the former Hornsea 1 project was also started, which became operational in 2020.
However, Hornsea 2 is located about 55 miles from the coast of Yorkshire, through which it can easily get integrated with the strong blowing winds coming from the North Sea and hence generate clean and renewable energy. This project covers an area of 462 sq. km, which is also equal to 64,000 football fields. The wind turbines used in this world’s largest wind farm have been designed by the most renowned turbine maker, “Siemens Gamesa”, and that adds up to 165 in total. Each turbine generates the energy of 8 MW, having the length of its blades by 265 feet, and the height of the blade tip accounts for 656 feet above sea level.
It has to be noted that only a single revolution of one turbine is enough to power one house for a day in the U.K., and when it comes to powering the whole of the U.K., Hornsea 2 is here to get the job done by generating electricity for 1.4 million houses. However, as we all know, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused a spike in petrol and electricity prices all over the world. More specifically, Russia is the major supplier of gas to Europe, and if it stopped the supply completely, it would cause a huge supply shortage.
In order to be independent, the U.K is exploring grounds to build its own energy production projects so that in the future, it would be on the safe side. Duncan Clark, who is the Head of Region U.K. at Ørsted, said in the press release, “Current global events highlight more than ever the importance of landmark renewable energy projects like Hornsea 2, helping the U.K. increase the security and resilience of its energy supply and drive down costs for consumers by reducing dependence on expensive fossil fuels.”
Clark further said, “The UK is truly a world leader in offshore wind, and the completion of Hornsea 2 is a tremendous milestone for the offshore wind industry, not just in the U.K. but globally.” To that end, the U.K is also looking forward to start planning on opening up the Hornsea 3 project which would have the capacity to generate 2.8 GW of energy.
