The Mona offshore wind farm has been given the green light by the UK Energy Secretary, which means more clean, homegrown, secure energy will be delivered for the British people.
It’s estimated that the Mona offshore wind farm could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of more than 1 million British homes, providing a major boost for the national mission to become a clean energy superpower.
Situated in the Irish Sea, the project is the largest in this area and will drive growth across the country by creating supply chain opportunities.
The developer will launch a portal where local companies can offer their services to deliver the project, boosting local communities in Wales and across the UK.
The importance of offshore wind projects in the transition to low-carbon energy
Offshore wind plays a crucial role in the UK’s transition to a low-carbon energy system and its efforts to combat climate change.
As an island nation with strong and consistent coastal winds, the UK is ideally positioned to harness offshore wind power, which is now one of the country’s fastest-growing and most cost-effective renewable energy sources.
Offshore wind farms contribute significantly to energy security by reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels and help stabilise electricity prices through clean, domestically generated power.
Additionally, the sector supports economic growth, creating thousands of jobs in manufacturing, construction, and maintenance, particularly in coastal communities.
As the UK strives to meet its net-zero emissions target by 2050, offshore wind will remain a cornerstone of the UK’s sustainable energy strategy.
Huge boost for jobs in the offshore wind sector
The developer estimates that it will support thousands of jobs, contributing to the approximately 100,000 jobs expected to be supported by the offshore wind sector in Great Britain by 2030.
Jobs at the Mona offshore wind farm are expected to include engineers and maintenance operations during the construction phase. This will drive industrial renewal in proud manufacturing communities as part of the Plan for Change.
The government is engaging with ports and harbours around the Irish Sea that could support construction activities, and eventually, operations and maintenance for the wind farms.
This builds on the already thriving careers in offshore wind, with the government estimating that the offshore and onshore wind sectors could support up to 145,000 direct and indirect jobs across Britain by the end of the decade. This includes 100,000 jobs in the offshore sector.
The Mona offshore wind farm: Supporting the UK’s mission to become a clean energy superpower
Proposals for the Mona offshore wind farm deliver on the government’s progress in becoming a clean energy superpower. This year’s actions lay the foundations for clean power by 2030 – all part of the mission to get energy bills down for good.
In its first year, the government has approved new clean energy projects that can generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of nearly two million homes. Mona will add to this by powering the equivalent of more than one million homes.
This reflects the equivalent number of homes that could be powered based on an estimate of the annual generation from the Mona offshore wind farm, assuming generating capacity equivalent to its maximum grid connection (1.5 GW).
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband explained: “This government was elected to take back control of our energy, and in our first year, we have shown that the clean power revolution is here to stay.
“Whether it’s offshore wind, solar or nuclear, we are backing the builders, not the blockers, so we deliver the clean homegrown power this country needs to protect family finances through the Plan for Change.”