Thanet Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Impact Assessment
Thanet Offshore Wind Limited
Wind Energy
If there was ever any uncertainty about the UK’s commitment to clean, renewable energy, then the Thanet Offshore Wind Farm (known as Thanet) should leave no doubt. When commissioned in September 2010, it became the largest offshore wind farm in the world. Occupying 35km2 (roughly the same size as the city of Norwich), Thanet is capable of generating 300MWe of renewable electricity – enough to power up to 240,000 average homes.
Before any of the 100 turbines could be constructed off the Kent coast, there was an extensive six-year planning, legislative and logistical process to complete. Royal Haskoning was appointed to apply its considerable environmental expertise and knowledge to this flagship project.
Royal Haskoning was commissioned by Thanet Offshore Wind Limited (TOW), a subsidiary of Vattenfall Wind Power (Vattenfall) Limited, in 2004 to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to gain the necessary consents for the construction, operation and eventual decommissioning of the wind farm. EIA is one of Royal Haskoning’s core capabilities. It offers EIA services and solutions to a wide range of sectors, from renewable energy and port development, to flood alleviation schemes and urban planning. The company has extensive experience and knowledge of compliance regulations for the UK, Scotland and the rest of the European Union, and as such, is often used as an expert witness to support EIA applications. Royal Haskoning has also been appointed to independently audit environmental statements, particularly for potentially contentious projects.
Read the full Thanet Offshore Wind Farm case study