Cameron welcomes commitment to mammoth Humber wind farm

The German multinational announced yesterday that 73 huge turbines will be installed just five miles out to sea in the mouth of the Humber as part of its Humber Gateway scheme.

David Cameron welcomed the “significant investment” in the regional economy, which he said would create 1,000 construction jobs over the next three years.

Humber Gateway is one of two large wind farms planned just off the Yorkshire coast over the next four years. The second, Westernmost Rough, will consist of 80 turbines and is being built further north off Withernsea.

Both are dwarfed by the colossal Hornsea and Dogger Bank projects, however, which will each consist of thousands of turbines but will be built much further out in the middle of the North Sea.

E.ON said yesterday that work on the 219MW Humber Gateway will begin early next year, and that the wind farm should be up and running by spring 2015 – producing enough renewable energy to power 170,000 homes.

Chief executive Tony Cocker said: “This isn’t just an important announcement for E.ON, but a significant announcement for the UK. Increasing the proportion of electricity we generate from low carbon, renewable sources is a vital part of meeting the energy challenges we all face.”

The UK is committed to producing 30 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by the end of the decade.

The Prime Minister said: “I welcome E.ON’s significant investment, which is a vote of confidence in renewable energy and in the UK market.

“It will create 1,000 jobs in the next few years, spearhead development of the UK’s fast growing offshore wind supply chain, and strengthen links between the UK and Germany in renewables.”