North Hoyle

North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm Profile

Location and Geography

• The North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm is located approximately 7.5 kilometres off the coast of North Wales, between the towns of Rhyl and Prestatyn, in the Irish Sea.
• It is situated in Liverpool Bay and covers an area of 10 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi).

Development and Ownership

• The project was developed by RWE Renewables UK Swindon (formerly National Wind Power and part of RWE Innogy), which is a renewable energy company specializing in wind, hydro, and biomass energy.
• The wind farm is currently owned by Greencoat UK Wind with a 100% stake.

Technical Specifications

• The wind farm consists of 30 Vestas V80-2.0 MW turbines, each with a nameplate capacity of 2 MW, giving a total nominal power output of 60 MW.
• Each turbine has a hub height of 80 meters and a rotor diameter of 80 meters, with a maximum blade tip height of 130 meters above sea level.

Construction and Operation

• Construction of the wind farm began in 2002 and was completed within 8-9 months. It entered commercial operation in July 2004, although some sources indicate it commenced operation in 2003.
• The wind turbines are installed on fixed monopile foundations.
• The project was built using the TIV MPI Resolution, the first jack-up wind turbine installation vessel in the world.

Environmental Impact and Benefits

• The wind farm generates approximately 189,800 MWh of electricity annually, which is enough to power around 40,000 to 50,000 households, depending on the source.
• It offsets about 160,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
• Independent surveys have shown that the wind farm is highly supported by local residents and holidaymakers, with 73% expressing support and only 5% opposing it in a 2003 opinion poll.

Power Purchase Agreement

• The electricity generated from the project is sold to RWE Generation UK under a power purchase agreement at a rate of $0.091 per kWh. The contracted capacity is 60 MW.

Maintenance and Operation

• Vestas Wind Systems is the turbine supplier and also the operation and maintenance (O&M) contractor for the project. The O&M contract commenced in 2004 for an initial period of 5 years.

Operational Life and Decommissioning

• The wind farm is expected to have an operational life of 20-25 years after which it will be decommissioned.

Community and Sustainability

• National Wind Power, and subsequently RWE Renewables, have been involved in sustainability considerations throughout the project's lifetime, including waste management, avoiding harmful chemicals, and engaging with the local community to minimize social impact.