Walney Phase 2
- Type: Wind Farm
- Latitude: 54.0810000
- Longitude: -3.6040000
Location
Walney Phase 2 is situated approximately 9 miles (14 km) west of Walney Island, off the coast of Cumbria, England.
Development and Ownership
The wind farm was developed by Walney (UK) Offshore Windfarms Limited, a partnership between DONG Energy (now Ørsted) and Scottish and Southern Energy. Ørsted is the current operator of the wind farm.
Construction
- Offshore construction for Walney Phase 2 began in March 2011.
- The installation of the 51 turbines was completed in 5 months and 14 days, including the installation of monopiles and complete turbines. This was a significant improvement over the construction time for Walney Phase 1, due to the commonality of projects and resources.
Inauguration
Walney Phase 2 began sending power to the grid on November 1, 2011. The wind farm was officially opened on February 9, 2012, by the then Energy Secretary, Ed Davey, MP, although the last of the 51 turbines was only activated in April 2012.
Turbines and Capacity
- The wind farm consists of 51 turbines.
- Each turbine is a Siemens SWT-3.6-120 model with a rated capacity of 3.6 MW.
- The total installed capacity of Walney Phase 2 is 183.6 MW.
Power Generation
- The wind farm is expected to generate about 1,300 GWh/year of electricity.
- It has a load factor of approximately 43%.
Infrastructure
- The turbines are installed on monopile foundations in water depths ranging from 19m to 23m.
- The power generated is transmitted to the onshore substation at Stanah, south of Fleetwood, via undersea power cables.
Area and Layout
- The wind farm covers an area of approximately 73 km².
- It is located immediately northwest of the West of Duddon Sands Wind Farm and west of Ormonde Wind Farm.
Operational Life
- The wind farm has been operational since 2012 and is part of Ørsted’s portfolio of offshore wind farms in the UK.
In summary, Walney Phase 2 is a significant component of the Walney Wind Farms, contributing to the UK's renewable energy goals with its substantial generating capacity and efficient operation.