Harnessing clean energy to power the UK's sustainable future
In support of the UK Government’s Net Zero Strategy, Net Zero Growth Plan, Energy Security Strategy, and the ambition to deliver up to 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030, SE Portwind Ltd are progressing the PortWind Offshore Wind Farm project.
Underpinning the Net Zero Strategy is the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008 that includes binding commitments to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050.
Large-scale offshore energy projects like PortWind will help the UK work toward a more sustainable energy system for future generations, leading to lower carbon levels and cleaner air. And it is another important step in reducing the UK’s ongoing, unsustainable reliance on imported fossil fuels.
Location
At its nearest point, PortWind’s proposed turbine-array-area search areas are circa 22 km off the south coast. These areas have been strategically selected to reduce visibility from the coast, limit environmental impacts, and harness stronger wind speeds that are found further offshore. Charted water depths across the site make the project suitable for fixed-bottom turbine foundation technology and floating foundation technology in deeper waters further offshore.
Capacity
Our project team is actively assessing the suitability of potential array-areas off the south coast to support a c. 2 GW offshore wind farm . Through the development process, broad search areas will undergo ongoing assessment and refinement to limit environmental impacts and optimise design.
When the wind farm design has been optimised and all environmental constraints fully considered and accommodated, it is expected the project will have a capacity of c. 2 GW. This will deliver enough electricity to meet the needs of over 3 million* households and will offset over four million tonnes** of harmful carbon emissions each year. Based on offshore wind turbines that are available in the market today, 2 GW equates to approximately 132 turbines.
Benefits:
PortWind Offshore Wind Farm will positively contribute to the UK’s binding target of a 78% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 (compared to 1990 levels) and carbon neutrality by 2050.
A community benefit fund will be established for the project and will be used for the wider economic, environmental, social, and cultural well-being of the local community. This fund will ensure that there is real and quantifiable financial support made available for use by the local community each year throughout the lifetime of the project.
Not only will PortWind Offshore Wind Farm create jobs locally during the construction and operation phase, the project will also contribute towards creating a new nationwide industry for the UK. This will in turn maximise the economic opportunity arising from the deployment of offshore wind and help with the creation of sustainable blue communities.
By making use of our abundant and renewable wind resource to generate electricity to supply homes and businesses, we will reduce the UK’s ongoing unsustainable reliance on imported fossil fuels to meet our energy needs. Options are under investigation for the PortWind project to contribute to green hydrogen production and support the UK Hydrogen Strategy 2021. The delivery of clean renewable energy is also required to support a nationally and regionally growing population, and is needed to meet the increasing demand for electricity which is growing year on year.
Utilising wind as a clean and renewable fuel source means we will dramatically reduce our need to burn fossil fuels and reduce our carbon emissions too. It will also help towards maintaining cleaner air and a healthier environment now and for future generations.
Surveys in and around the project will provide a greater understanding of the marine environment, adding to the knowledge base for the area into the future.
*Based on projected installed capacity of 2 GW, capacity factor of 50% and OFGEM UK consumption 2,900kWh/household
**Based on projected annual output of wind farm and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 2022 UK greenhouse gas emissions, provisional figures, 532 tonnes of carbon / GWh from fossil fuels
