|
The Horns Rev offshore wind farm gets the green light In March 2001, the Danish Energy Agency approved Elsam and Eltra’s application for permission to establish a wind farm at Horns Rev in the North Sea, west of Denmark. After the approval, Elsam completed contract negotiations with the suppliers and began the initial phase of detailed planning. The wind farm consist of 80 turbines totalling 160 MW. These turbines are expected to produce an annual power output corresponding to the consumption of 150,000 Danish households. The total project investment amounts to approx. DKK 2 billion (EUR 270 million). On 15 June 1999, Elsam and Eltra received permission to start on pilot studies for the project. Next, Elsam and Eltra commissioned an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) for the project.This EIA report, which has been submitted to a public hearing, was intended to ensure that the environmental considerations in and around the area have been explored and detailed, that the project’s environmental impact has been weighed and evaluated beforehand, and that all necessary precautions are taken to protect the environment in both the construction and operation phases. As a part of the collective demonstration programme for the extension of this offshore wind farm project, an additional set of studies, on which approval of the whole project is contingent, must be completed to further specify the wind farm’s impact on the environment. This has resulted in a so-called dynamic monitoring programme. Because of the demonstration programme’s extent and nature, the Danish Energy Agency has also set up a special panel peopled by internationally-acclaimed experts in the wildlife and environment areas to supervise the dynamic monitoring programme before, during and after the construction of the farm.
|
|
