Blyth Offshore Wind Farm, made up of a historic pair of historic offshore wind turbines that were the first in UK waters, is to be removed – with the Port of Blyth utilising one of them for a brand new training facility.
E.ON UK Renewables has announced that the two turbines which helped kickstart the UK’s renewable energy revolution in the UK are to be decommissioned in the coming months.
The wind farm was installed in 2000 and during operation was able to generate enough power to supply around 2,000 homes. They also helped to establish the Port of Blyth’s reputation in the offshore energy sector as well as highlighting the ORE Catapult‘s value as a testing ground for offshore construction.
Having reached the end of their lifespan, they will now be removed with the Port’s training arm Port Training Services set to use one of the turbines for a brand new training facility being created in Blyth.
Work will start in April to remove the turbines and it is expected that the decommissioning project will take around six to eight weeks.
Patrick Rainey, Offshore Technical Specialist at E.ON, said: “Blyth Offshore Wind Farm holds a special significance for us all at E.ON as our first offshore development.
“Through Blyth, we were able to demonstrate to the watching world that the technology worked, and we’ve been able to use our experience and learning to go on to develop a further 1.5GW of wind capacity off the UK coast.
“Wind farms typically have a lifespan of around 20-25 years, and so Blyth Offshore Wind Farm has reached the end of its time. I think we can all be proud of the role it’s played in the renewable energy industry, and its legacy for the port and waters around Blyth.”
A public information event about the decommissioning project will take place on March 20 at the Port Training Centre, Quay Road, Blyth between 3pm and 8pm.
