World's largest offshore wind farm gets go ahead

Plans to build the world's largest offshore wind farm off the Kent coast are to go ahead.

offshore wind farm

An offshore windfarm in Sweden.

Construction of the London Array is due to start later this year in the Thames Estuary. Built 12 miles offshore it will include 341 turbines.

Friends of the Earth has supported the project from the start.

Did you know?

The project will supply enough power for around 750,000 homes - that's a quarter of London's homes.

London Array

Community benefits

The windfarm could be generating power in time for the 2012 Olympics. Hundreds of jobs are also expected to be created in the construction phase of the project.

The UK is already the world's leading generator of offshore wind power and this multi-billion pound project will help keep us there, cut our carbon emissions and contribute to secure energy supplies.

Ed Miliband - Energy and Climate Change Secretary.

Government backing

The future of the windfarm had been in the balance. But increased support for renewable energy in the recent Budget encouraged the developers to finalise plans.