Humber Gateway Tops Expectations

The 219MW Humber Gateway offshore wind farm generated 854,400 MWh of electricity in its first full year of generation, E.ON reports.

The wind farm’s 73 turbines moved into full operation in May 2015, and the site was officially opened by Energy Minster Andrea Leadsom MP in September.

The figures are higher than expected, E.ON said, largely due to the particularly windy weather experienced by the UK over the winter the period.

 “Over the last year the Operations team based in Grimsby Fish Dock have worked particularly hard to ensure the sites safe and effective operation including the successful completion of three monthly servicing as required for the first year of operation,” Jon Beresford, Humber Gateway Plant Manager at E.ON, said.

”This will now move to annual servicing, meaning the site is expected to power more megawatt hours of electricity going forward. The wind farm has created 47 full time roles plus five local apprentices who we look forward to welcoming on site later this summer once they’ve complete their first year of training in the classroom. In our first year of operation we’ve also been delighted to have made a positive difference to 20 local projects through our Humber Gateway Community Support Fund and encourage any community groups and charities in need of extra support to apply this year.”

Humber Gateway, located 8km off the Holderness coast, is one of several major renewable energy projects in E.ON’s portfolio which includes the 630MW London Array, the world’s largest operational offshore wind farm, and the 400MW Rampion Offshore Wind Farm project, currently under construction 13km off the Sussex coast.