DONG Energy to launch £10m community fund
The Danish energy giant, which is currently constructing the Race Bank and Hornsea Project One wind developments off the North Norfolk and Yorkshire coasts, will give approximately half a million pounds per year over the next 20 years to help local initiatives.
The East Coast Community Fund will be managed and administered by an independent grant-making charity that is yet to be confirmed, with one of the first tasks set to be the launching of a public consultation on how and where the funds can be distributed most effectively.
Brent Cheshire, UK Country Chairman of DONG Energy, believes local people should get a chance to benefit from the construction and operation of offshore wind farms which are some of the UK's biggest energy infrastructure projects.
"Although our wind farms are located offshore, their transmission connections require onshore facilities and our construction and operations bases are very much a part of local communities. This fund is a practical way in which we can say thank you for the fantastic support we get,” he said.
Race Bank is set to be capable of meeting the electricity needs of over half million UK homes, with a capacity of 580MW, when it becomes fully operational in 2018, while the 1.2GW Hornsea Project One farm is expected to generate enough electricity to supply over one million UK homes after its completion in 2020, making it the biggest offshore wind project in the world.
