First hybrid wind and gas offshore energy project gets go-ahead

U.K. Energy Minister Truscott today gave approval to a new type of dual energy plant to be located off the west coast of the country.

The Ormonde project from Eclipse Energy will be located 10KM offshore from Walney Island near Barrow in Furness, northwest of Manchester.

The wind/gas hybrid development has the potential to generate up to 200MW of electricity with almost half coming from the wind farm comprising up to 30 turbines. This is expected to be enough energy for around 70,000 homes.

When the wind isn't sufficient, power will come via conventional gas sources pumped from two fields in nearby Morecambe Bay for which approval has also been sought.

"We are now starting to see a real flow of approvals for energy projects in UK waters. The London Array and Thanet schemes in the Thames Estuary went through in December and the good progress continues in 2007," said Truscott.

"We have combined both North Sea oil and gas experience and business models to provide a commercial catalyst to enable us to harness the energy from offshore natural gas fields and wind power, this is a global first," said Ian Hatton, Managing Director of Eclipse.

"Over the next few years the UK's natural gas reserves will become depleted and we will become increasingly dependent upon imported energy. We expect Ormonde to be the first of a series of similar projects where offshore wind energy is developed using the hybrid concept."

The Ormonde project is scheduled for completion in 2010.

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