The London Array, the UK’s largest offshore wind farm, achieved full operational capacity with 175 turbines generating 630 MW, enough to power nearly half a million homes and cut 900,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
The London Array, located 20 km off England’s Kent coast, became the world’s largest operational offshore wind farm after its final turbine was commissioned. The project, which began construction in 2011 and was completed by December, features 175 turbines each producing 3.6 MW, spread across 90 square kilometers. Its 630 MW capacity was touted as a major milestone in renewable energy by Tony Cocker, CEO of E-ON UK, who noted it could power nearly half a million homes and reduce annual CO2 emissions by over 900,000 tonnes.
Project Timeline and Scale
Construction of the London Array started in March 2011, after government backing was granted in 2006. The project’s initial design envisioned 1 GW of capacity, but it is now thought that a possible second phase would bring capacity up to 870 MW. The final turbine was commissioned on Saturday afternoon, marking the completion of the farm’s first phase. At the time, it surpassed the UK’s Greater Gabbard wind farm as the world’s largest operational offshore wind farm. The array’s 175 turbines, each with a 3.6-MW capacity, were spread across 90 sq km.
The London Array is located some 20 km (12.4 miles) off the Kent coast, England’s most south-eastern county which borders Greater London to its northwest. The 3.6-MW turbines are spread over an area of 90 sq km (35 sq miles). Government backing for the farm was granted back in 2006, though construction didn’t begin until March 2011. The farm has been completed to schedule.
Community Impact and Adjustments
While the London Array’s completion was celebrated as a renewable energy triumph, other wind farm projects faced local opposition. In South Australia, the Keyneton wind farm saw its turbine count reduced from 57 to 42 following community consultations and environmental assessments. Pacific Hydro, the project’s developer, cited concerns over road usage. Large vehicles will be barred from using the Sedan-Angaston Road during construction to limit impact on the road.
Andrew Richards from Pacific Hydro said it was removing planned turbines from the middle section of the development. “Certainly some people will have less turbines on their property now than they first envisaged, but we’ve obviously talked to them about that and it’s all about the design process and doing something that is acceptable to a majority of people, which I think we have,” he said.
Similarly, residents near the Willogoleche Hill wind farm in Hallett withdrew objections after out-of-court agreements with the developer, allowing the project to proceed with 37 turbines. Six mid-north residents had previously challenged a decision by the Development Assessment Panel of Goyder Council to approve 11 more turbines for the project, taking the total to 37. The matter will be formally withdrawn next month.
Future Expansion Plans
Despite its current scale, the London Array’s developers had ambitions for further growth. A potential second phase aimed to increase capacity to 870 MW. Meanwhile, larger offshore projects were in the planning stages, including 2.5 GW farms in Sweden and South Korea. The London Array looks set to remain largest for a little longer, as no larger farms are yet to emerge from the proposal stage.
Global Context and Competition
The London Array’s 630 MW capacity placed it ahead of other offshore projects like the 367.2 MW Walney farm in the UK. Though initially conceived as a 1-GW wind farm, it’s now thought that a possible second phase would bring capacity up to 870 MW. The London Array looks set to remain largest for a little longer, as no larger farms are yet to emerge from the proposal stage. However, 2.5 GW offshore farms are planned for Sweden and South Korea.
It was little more than a year ago that we reported on the opening of the second phase of Walney wind farm, making it the then-largest farm at 367.2 MW of capacity.
Unresolved Questions and Next Steps
While the project’s first phase was complete, no official announcements addressed the second phase’s progress. Meanwhile, the South Australia wind farm adjustments demonstrated how local concerns could reshape large-scale renewable projects.
