Positive
Project advancing - milestone achieved
High Impact
Major milestone or critical setback
In December 2011, E.ON reached the key investment milestone for the Humber Gateway offshore wind farm by formally committing to build the project, an offshore wind array located 8 kilometres off the East Yorkshire coast. In a news article released on 20 December 2011, E.ON is described as having confirmed its commitment to constructing the €880 million offshore wind farm, which will comprise 73 turbines with a total capacity of up to 219 MW, sufficient to power around 170,000 homes. This decision followed the project receiving its regulatory “green light” earlier in February 2011, converting prior consents into a concrete go‑ahead to invest and proceed with delivery of the scheme. [2] The commitment is framed by E.ON and UK political leaders as a substantial investment in the UK’s offshore wind sector and in low‑carbon generation more broadly. UK Prime Minister David Cameron publicly welcomed the company’s significant investment, highlighting its expected contribution to the fast‑growing offshore wind supply chain, the creation of around 1,000 construction jobs and approximately 30 long‑term operations roles, and the strengthening of energy links between the UK and Germany. E.ON’s announcement positions Humber Gateway as part of a wider €2 billion offshore wind investment programme, itself nested within a €7 billion renewables investment plan over five years, alongside the Amrumbank and Kårehamn offshore wind projects. With this commitment in place, E.ON scheduled onshore substation works to begin in March 2012 and targeted project completion by spring 2015, marking full financial backing and an internal Final Investment Decision for Humber Gateway. [1][2]