Rhyl Flats

Rhyl Flats Wind Farm

Viewed from the air, looking south
Location of Rhyl Flats Wind Farm in Wales
Country United Kingdom
Location Liverpool Bay, Wales
Coordinates 53°22′N 03°39′W / 53.367°N 3.650°W / 53.367; -3.650Coordinates: 53°22′N 03°39′W / 53.367°N 3.650°W / 53.367; -3.650
Status Operational
Commission date December 2009
Owner(s) Innogy
Wind farm
Type Offshore
Distance from shore 8 km (5 mi)
Power generation
Units operational 25 x 3.6 MW
Make and model Siemens Wind Power
Nameplate capacity 90 MW

Rhyl Flats Offshore Wind Farm is a 25 turbine wind farm approximately 8 km north east of Llandudno in North Wales. It is Wales' second offshore wind farm and the third offshore wind farm to be built within Liverpool Bay. It has a maximum rated output of 90 MW.

Construction

The Rhyl Flats project was initially developed by Celtic Offshore Wind Limited (COWL) as part of the UK's Round 1 offshore wind farm programme.[1] COWL received consent for the project in 2002, and in December 2002 the project was purchased by Npower Renewables (formerly National Wind Power and now a part of Innogy, a subsidiary of the German firm RWE), who were also developing the neighbouring North Hoyle and Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farms. Offshore construction work at Rhyl Flats began in July 2007 and the completed project was officially opened on 2 December 2009.[2]

North Hoyle was completed in 2003, just a few kilometers east of Rhyl Flats. The Round 1 projects were intended to act as testbeds; building the UK's understanding of offshore wind, whilst in total also providing well over 1000 MW of green generating capacity for the UK. All of the Round 1 offshore wind farms were limited to a maximum area of 10 km², and no more than 30 wind turbines.

Output

The first electricity was supplied by the site on 15 July 2009. The project consists of 25 Siemens Wind Power SWT-107-3.6 wind turbines, each rated at 3.6 MW capacity. This gives the project a maximum output of 90 MW; a third greater than the neighbouring North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm, but with 5 fewer wind turbines and spread over a smaller area. At the time of installation, Rhyl Flats is expected to generate enough electricity to power 60,000 homes on average.

See also

References

  1. ↑ RWE: Rhyl Flats offshore wind farm
  2. ↑ RWE: Rhyl Flats inauguration press release
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