Rampion Offshore Wind Limited has announced that the project remains on schedule with the installation of the first turbine foundation due to start this week, despite adverse weather conditions disrupting enabling works to prepare the seabed.
Work to prepare the seabed for the 116 turbines began in September and the initial load of foundations arrived on site from the Netherlands last week. Construction of the first foundation in the northwest quadrant of the site is planned to begin this week.
The ongoing offshore construction work will be project managed from a temporary facility in Newhaven Port until the wind farm’s Operations and Maintenance Base is completed in 2017.
Chris Tomlinson, E.ON Development Manager for the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, said: “After almost six years of development, including community engagement, engineering and environmental surveys, it’s a really proud moment to finally be installing the first foundations.
“These foundations will be piled into the seabed and will act as a base for each of the 140m turbines, which we will start erecting in early 2017.
“I’m pleased that our highly skilled team have been able to overcome the poor weather conditions that we’ve faced over the last few weeks and continue with the construction of the wind farm as planned.”
In preparation for the foundation installation work, Rampion Offshore Wind Limited held an exhibition introducing sea users to the offshore construction plans.
Around 50 people attended from the fishing, diving and sailing community on Tuesday 12 January, which also included a Q&A session with the Rampion Project Team and Offshore Construction Manager.
The 400MW project, being built by E.ON, the UK Green Investment Bank and Canadian energy company Enbridge, 13km off the Sussex coast between Brighton and Lancing, remains set to become the first offshore wind farm off the south coast of England.
The development is expected to supply the equivalent of up to 300,000 homes and to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 600,000 tonnes a year.
What on earth? This an april fool joke?
No, the only joke here is you
The development is expected to supply the equivalent of up to 300,000 homes and to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 600,000 tonnes a year.
Ok, so I’ve checked and we’re not in April yet. So how on earth did this thing get passed? Downgrading quality of life for millions of people and disrupting ecosystems at least for the short term, who knows about the longer term. And I thought the i360 was bad enough. At least there’ll now be something to gawp at from the top of it- enjoy the view.
Great news 🙂 Some people can’t cope with the new future.
Renewable energie is the answer for EU
keep the oil in the ground and the Arabs and Russians poor
better for the world, better for us
Side effect is better fish grounds, more fish
Im glad theh are helping the econamy by using renewable scorces!
An ugly eyesore in an area of natural panoramic beauty, hugely expensive waste of money. They will not generate the amount of electricity stated and will not replace conventional power stations. The UK taxpayer will foot the bill for subsidising the massive costs. These turbines are inefficient, expensive and ugly, and are no solution to our energy needs.
Agreed.
bit short sighted don’t you think
I agree too. I hate them they wreck the view
I live in Hove, saw and heard the vessel piling. I guessed it must be for new wind turbines and checked online to see I’m right.
This is fantastic news, creating jobs and reducing our need to burn fossil fuels, so helping to save our dying Planet.
Well done to all involved.
There aren’t any locals working on the offshore construction of these turbines.Rampion weren’t interested in my request for work even though we will be paying the bills
I wondered what the ugly goings on where on the horizon, as I was on my annual bicycle ride to Shoreham in search on CAMRA approved real ale pubs ! … And now I know. :-/
*were*
R.i.p
How can anyone be against this!!. Zero noise impact, renewable energy and it’ll look pretty damn cool.
Bravo!!!
Just can’t believe it !! I don’t know how this got passed!?
To help the planet Rosy, that is good enough in my book.
These wind turbines are a complete waste of money and resource. The power claims are nearly ten times the real output.
It would be far more sense to install Tide turbines in the same positions. The output from these is completely predictable. Governments are being conned by the money grabbing manufacturers of these wind monsters.
there´s nothing more ugly than an off shore windpark. apart from a i360 monstrosity. and a zip-wire attraction. and the new seafront. and the marina. and blokes in bars without shirts. for the first time i am happy that i´ve moved away. poor old brighton, what have they done to you?