The new turbines will have a total combined capacity of 9.2MW, enough to supply around 7,000 homes – more than double the previous output.
Today, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne, will open the new Delabole wind farm in North Cornwall, owned and operated by 100% renewable electricity supplier Good Energy, which has invested £11.8 million to repower it.
Secretary of State Chris Huhne will join Good Energy and local residents to celebrate the replacement of the 10 original turbines with four more powerful ones. The new turbines will have a total combined capacity of 9.2MW, enough to supply around 7,000 homes – more than double the previous output.
Secretary of State, Chris Huhne says: “Delabole was the first commercial wind farm in the UK and, in its new form, it remains at the forefront of best practice. On top of generating enough green electricity for 7,000 homes, a community fund will be making a direct contribution to projects in the local area.
“All too often, local communities can see the windfarms but not the windfall. ‪ ‪Wind is an abundant, clean, home-grown alternative to fossil fuels. It can’t be blown off course by instability abroad, and so it’s vital that we use it for our low carbon, energy security. ‪
“The coalition is squarely behind the renewables sector. We’ll all benefit in the long run from more projects like Delabole, and moves to help local people feel more immediate benefits of hosting a windfarm are crucial.”
Delabole wind farm is the first in the pipeline of new renewable energy development projects that Good Energy is embarking on across the UK. These projects amount to 50MW of new capacity across the UK, enough to power a town roughly the size of Cambridge, and will include community investment schemes that will enable local residents to benefit from wind farms developed by Good Energy.
Juliet Davenport, CEO of Good Energy says: “We’re enormously proud of our investment in Delabole and are delighted to welcome Chris Huhne to officially open the new site. Delabole wind farm now accounts for 20% of the total 100% renewable electricity supplied by Good Energy, and is the first in a pipeline of new wind energy projects we’re working on.
“We’d also like to thank the Delabole community for their help and support throughout the repowering process. It’s wonderful to be able to celebrate its completion together.”