Rampion Wind Farm
| Rampion Offshore Wind Farm | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Country | England, United Kingdom |
| Location | English Channel, off the coast of Sussex |
| Coordinates | 50°40′0″N 0°6′0″W / 50.66667°N 0.10000°WCoordinates: 50°40′0″N 0°6′0″W / 50.66667°N 0.10000°W |
| Status | Proposed |
| Commission date | 2017 (expected)[1] |
| Construction cost | £2 billion |
| Owner(s) | E.ON |
| Turbine | |
| Turbines | 100 to 195[1] |
| Wind farm | |
| Type | Offshore |
| Surface area | 167 km2 (64.5 sq mi) |
| Distance from shore | 13 km (8.1 mi) |
| Power generation | |
| Maximum capacity | 665 MW |
Rampion is a proposed offshore wind farm development by E.ON, planned for the Sussex coast. The wind farm will have a target zone capacity of 665 MW.[2] Development and construction would cost an estimated £2 billion.[1]
Location
Located between 13 to 25 kilometres (8 to 16 mi) from the shore, the wind farm would lie off the coast of the towns of Worthing and Shoreham-by-Sea to the west, the city of Brighton and Hove in the centre and the towns of Newhaven and Seaford in the east. The wind farm would be in a zone that is an irregular elongated area, approximately 28 kilometres (17 mi) in an east to west direction and approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) in the north to south direction. The wind farm itself would occupy an area of 167 square kilometres (64.5 sq mi), equivalent to two-fifths of the size of the Isle of Wight or nearly three times the size of Manhattan Island. The wind farm would be viewable from the bay between Selsey Bill and Beachy Head, as well as from the Isle of Wight.
Name
Initially known as Zone 6 off the Sussex coast,[1] it was later named the "Southern Array" (Hastings).
When the site of the wind farm was changed from near Hastings to off Brighton, E.ON held a competition with local schools to suggest a new name as a public relations exercise. The name ‘Rampion’ was voted the winning suggestion after the round-headed rampion (Phyteuma orbiculare), also known as the Pride of Sussex,[3] the county flower of Sussex.[1]
Turbines
E.ON propose using either 175 smaller turbines of 3-3.6 MW capcity, each 180 metres (590.6 ft) above low tide sea level, or 100 larger turbines of 7 MW capacity, each 210 metres (689.0 ft) above sea level.[1]
As the turbines are designed to last approximately 20–25 years,[1] and since E.ON's lease of the site from the Crown Estate is for 50 years, the company will need to decide whether to refurbish the scheme with the same turbines or different turbines.[1]
The company has taken a lease on a site at the Port of Newhaven, where they have constructed two new building to house the administration and engineering functions of the wind farm. The sites surrounding dockland will be used as storage for the landside construction of the various turbine components, before they are shipped for final construction on site. Once the site is fully commissioned, the buildings will act as the combined servicing point for the wind farm.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Rampion Offshore Wind Farm Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), February 2012". E.ON. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ↑ "Rampion Offshore Wind Farm – Scoping Report". E.ON. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ↑ "Five Fascinating Facts about . . . Ditchling Beacon". Sussex Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
- ↑ "Newhaven Port reveals how the Rampion wind farm will help secure its future". Sussex Express. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
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