E.ON says it is decommissioning Blyth, the UK’s first offshore wind farm. The wind farm’s two 2-megawatt turbines were the country’s first offshore wind farm. The turbines, says E.ON, have reached the end of their technical lifespan.
E.ON was part of a consortium that built the turbines in 2000 of the Northumberland coast. Blyth generated enough power to supply 2,000 households with renewable energy. Each year, it saved 4,520 metric tons of CO2 (carbon dioxide).
According to an E.ON press release:
“Blyth ushered in a new era of renewable technologies. As an offshore wind pioneer, E.ON used this example to lay the foundation for the future of the technology. It has undergone rapid development. Since then, E.ON alone has installed a further 600 offshore wind turbines in the seas of northern Europe.”
“The legacy of the first British offshore wind farm is a test area in the Blyth region for the construction, operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms. This hub for innovation at sea is a starting point which has seen the UK subsequently develop into a world leader in offshore wind.”
The dismantling work, which will begin in April 2019, will take from four to six weeks. E.ON will recycle and reuse one of the turbines. The Port of Blyth will use the other one for training purposes.
