Atlantic Array
Encyclopedia
Atlantic Array is a proposed offshore wind farm
development by RWE npower, planned for the Bristol Channel
, off the coast of North Devon
and South Wales
. With a planned 1.5 gigawatt capacity, it would be one of the world's largest offshore wind farms.
A site within the UK's third round of offshore wind developments, it is located 9 miles (14.5 km) off of the coast of north Devon, and 10 miles (16.1 km) off the coast of South Wales. Covering an area the size of the Isle of Wight
, the turbines will be visible from the North Devon
, Gower, and Pembrokeshire
coastlines. Originally proposed by Farm Energy2, now part of RWE npower, the company won the lease development rights from Crown Estate
s (owners of the UK seabed).
The current proposal would cost £3bn to create between 350 and 417 wind turbine
s, which RWE npower say is enough to power more than a million homes. The development if agreed is scheduled to come into operation by 2016.
Carwyn Jones
, the First Minister of Wales, reiterated his frustration that big onshore wind farm decisions are to be taken outside Wales. He warned that Welsh Government planning guidance had been overruled by the Parliament of the United Kingdom
, saying that it meant large onshore windfarms could be built anywhere in Wales.
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
development by RWE npower, planned for the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
, off the coast of North Devon
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
and South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. With a planned 1.5 gigawatt capacity, it would be one of the world's largest offshore wind farms.
A site within the UK's third round of offshore wind developments, it is located 9 miles (14.5 km) off of the coast of north Devon, and 10 miles (16.1 km) off the coast of South Wales. Covering an area the size of the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, the turbines will be visible from the North Devon
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
, Gower, and Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
coastlines. Originally proposed by Farm Energy2, now part of RWE npower, the company won the lease development rights from Crown Estate
Crown Estate
In the United Kingdom, the Crown Estate is a property portfolio owned by the Crown. Although still belonging to the monarch and inherent with the accession of the throne, it is no longer the private property of the reigning monarch and cannot be sold by him/her, nor do the revenues from it belong...
s (owners of the UK seabed).
The current proposal would cost £3bn to create between 350 and 417 wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
s, which RWE npower say is enough to power more than a million homes. The development if agreed is scheduled to come into operation by 2016.
Carwyn Jones
Carwyn Jones
Carwyn Howell Jones is a Welsh politician and the First Minister of Wales. The third official to lead the Welsh Government, Jones has been Assembly Member for Bridgend since 1999. In the coalition government of Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru, he was appointed Counsel General for Wales and Leader of...
, the First Minister of Wales, reiterated his frustration that big onshore wind farm decisions are to be taken outside Wales. He warned that Welsh Government planning guidance had been overruled by the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, saying that it meant large onshore windfarms could be built anywhere in Wales.