Government approval means that a 500MW offshore wind farm is to go ahead.
It was confirmed in August 2008 by Government, that an offshore 500 MegaWatt wind farm has approval. The site, at ‘West of Duddon Sands’ will be at least 14 km from the coastline, south of Barrow in Furness. The turbines are expected to have hub heights of between 95 to 110 metres.
Approval of the generation site has attracted criticism from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company; as it extends into a shipping lane it will result in extension of journey on the current Douglas to Heysham ferry.
The Sustainable Energy Alliance (www.se-alliance.org.uk), who in North Wales have been out in public with FOE and the Green Party in support of a proposed wind farm there, were pleased by the go-ahead.
According to their website, ‘the threats of climate change are so serious that renewable forms of energy and especially that of wind power, should be adopted as soon as possible’.
