Giant offshore wind farm gets the green light (500 MW, UK)

http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2287071.ece

The first British offshore wind farm to be built outside UK territorial waters was given the green light yesterday.

Airtricity, the Irish wind developer aiming to make Europe self-sufficient in energy, was awarded the 500-megawatt project, which will be built 16 miles off the Suffolk coast.

Eddie O'Connor, Airtricity's chief executive, said it would take two years to build the 150 sq km windfarm and he expects work to commence in 2009. Fluor, the US construction giant, is working with the Irish company on the £1.2bn project. The windfarm will be able to supply clean electricity to over 415,000 homes, more than all the demand in Suffolk.

The Greater Gabbard wind farm will be the first to be built outside the 12 nautical-mile boundary of UK waters. The 2004 Energy Act established a renewable energy zone that extended the Government's authority to 200 miles in some places.

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Are there any negative environmental effects of building this offshore?

Is not in the path of migratory birds, that might be a problem. The only I can see.

wind farms...

but wondered if it affected anything else.

so birds and bats are better able to avoid them.

"The 140-turbine wind farm will help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 1.5 million tonnes a year - the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the road."

"Mr O'Connor said he believes that eventually all of Europe's energy needs could be met by wind power."