The power of the UK's offshore and onshore wind resource is set to be harnessed further today, with the go-ahead given for two large wind farms.

Planning consent has been granted for what will be the world's largest offshore wind farm off the Lincolnshire and Norfolk coast - £3.6bn investment, around 1,130 jobs created and providing power to 820,000 homes.

Construction is to start on Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm in South Wales, on the largest onshore wind farm in Wales and England – more than £400m investment, around 300 jobs created, and providing power to 140,000 homes.

Edward Davey will also today visit Pen y Cymoedd in South Wales, where the onshore wind farm will be built. Vattenfall today confirmed they will invest £400m in the project.

Hundreds of jobs are set to be created in these two large projects, which between them will generate enough power for almost one million homes when completed and bring in more than £4bn of investment into the country.

-- Advertisement --

Secretary of State for Energy Edward Davey said: "The investments by Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited and Vattenfall are testament to the power of inward investment in the UK.

"These two projects will attract billions in investment into the UK, support hundreds of skilled green jobs in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and in the county boroughs of Neath Port Talbot and Rhondda Cynon Taf whilst providing homes with clean energy.

"Only last week the Prime Minister opened the London Array, the largest operating wind farm in the world, and today we gave planning permission to build a bigger offshore wind farm and also welcome the go-ahead of the biggest onshore wind farm in England and Wales. Offshore and onshore wind is an important contributor to our energy mix.

"We have provided certainty early to onshore and offshore wind investors and now see significant investment decisions being made that will benefit the UK's economy for years to come."

Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited has been granted permission to construct a 1,200MW wind farm with 288 turbines which is expected to generate over £3.6bn of investment in Lincolnshire and Norfolk and create around 1,130 jobs across the country.

The construction of the 76 turbines in Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm is scheduled to start in 2014 with first power being generated for the National Grid in late 2016. Vattenfall will also invest £1.8m every year into community funds for the 25 year life of the wind farm.

(CD/JP)