The 102 turbine Walney Offshore wind farm located approximately 15 kilometres off Walney Island, Cumbria, in the Irish Sea in the UK, is about to start harvesting the wind. It will provide electricity for 320 000 homes. The project has cost £1 billion.

Cumbria already has two 30-turbine wind farms along its coast: the Barrow Offshore and the Ormonde Offshore farms.

But the new 102-turbine project is now the world’s largest offshore farm, and was built in two phases. The first beginning on the 51-turbine Walney One project in March 2010, followed by Walney Two, with a further 51 turbines added.

Each is slightly taller than the London Eye, and as Jens Hansen, the project’s director, explains:

[The build had been] challenging and very, very hard. It’s a hard job, extremely hard work to do such a big, large offshore wind farm. There’s a lot of money involved, one billion pounds.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said the British coalition government still saw wind farms as the future of the renewable energy sector, and was mightily pleased:

We’re celebrating for Cumbria and for Britain and for the green energy movement this fantastic success, the biggest offshore wind farm in the world, and the fastest built so far.

The good news for Cumbria is that there will be jobs in the energy sector in Cumbria, supporting employment and livelihoods in Cumbria, so that is a real dividend.

One gentleman who won’t be siding with old Ed is Prince Philip. Our favourite monarch famously called wind farms fairy tales.

Remaining with the eco friendly topic, check out this rad advert from Ecotricity, a wind-power advocacy group and energy provider in the UK. It features Cape Town’s cooling towers being demolished. While having a cup of tea:

[Sources: BBC, Ecotricity]