Energy giant RWE has marked 10 years of electricity generation at its Gwynt y Môr wind farm off the North Wales coast.
At 576 megawatts (MW) installed capacity, Gwynt y Môr is currently the largest operating renewable energy project in Wales. At the time of its inauguration in June 2015, was the second largest offshore wind farm operating globally.
Over the last decade Gwynt y Môr is estimated to have generated enough clean power for 5.5 million typical Welsh and º£½ÇÊÓƵ homes, (or 550,000 homes a year for 10 years.
Sven Utermöhlen, RWE chief executive offshore wind: “A decade of operation at Gwynt y Môr is a defining moment for RWE, the region, and our passionate team. This wind farm has been at the heart of transforming North Wales into a hub of expertise for offshore wind energy and has set a blueprint for potential new projects across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ.
“The experience RWE has gained here has been instrumental in establishing our company as one of the world’s offshore wind leaders and a key player in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ power sector.â€
Gwynt y Môr is a joint venture between RWE (50%), Stadtwerke München GmbH (30%) and Macquarie GIG (20%.) RWE originally developed and built the 160 turbines project and continues to be responsible for operating the offshore plant on behalf of its partners.
The project led to key developments at the Port of Mostyn, where RWE built a bespoke operations and maintenance base providing over 100 long term, skilled local jobs. A new pontoon landing stage was also installed so that crew transfer vessels (CTVs) could operate during lower tides.
Long-term, the Gwynt y Môr Community Fund will invest over £19m of flexible funding over the operational lifetime of the wind farm, with decisions made by a panel of local people.
The fund supports many local projects, ranging from improvements to sports clubs and community buildings, to salaries for community development staff and projects, such as Abergele Actions and Building Brighter Futures in Rhyl, which support some of the most vulnerable people in society.
RWE is also developing an extension project, Awel y Môr offshore wind farm, to the west of Gwynt y Môr with partners. The project already has approval for 50 turbines making it Wales’s largest consented renewables project.
