Isra-Mart srl:Updated: Dong Energy powers up first Walney wind turbine

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Isra-Mart srl news:

Two of the UK's largest offshore wind farms have produced power for the first time, taking the renewable energy sector one step closer to meeting its 2020 targets.

Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) today annouced it has powered up the first three of 140 turbines at its 500MW Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm off the Suffolk coast.

Meanwhile, Dong Energy and SSE also flicked the switch on the first 3.6MW turbine at the Walney offshore wind farm near Barrow-in-Furness, delivering power to the grid for the first time.

The companies said they have started producing electricity from the first 183.6MW phase of Walney, and will now commission the remaining 50 turbines over the coming months with a view to having all 102 turbines installed and producing power by the end of the year.

They said they plan to start installing the second, identical tranche of turbines from March and should have 367.2MW of new capacity available by December.

Niels Bergh-Hansen, Dong executive vice president, described the milestone as "a tangible result" for the company's renewable energy strategy.

Last month, pension fund PGGM and renewable energy investor Dutch Ampère Equity Fund bought a 24.8 per cent stake in Walney, suggesting the industry is becoming increasingly attractive to institutional investors.

Together the two firms are paying about £16m to Dong Energy as well as their share of the construction costs. SSE has retained its 25.1 per cent stake in the wind farm, which it bought in 2009.

The cost of constructing Walney is expected to total just under £1bn. Once fully operational, the wind farm will employ about 60 people.