Two major players in the renewable energy sector, RWE and Vattenfall, have reported that their offshore wind farms off the south and south-east coast of England have emerged unscathed following the arrival of Storm Ciaran.
Storm Ciaran, a potent weather system, brought with it wind speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour as it traversed north-west France and the Channel Islands, making landfall on the morning of November 2nd. The southern regions of England, including Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, were placed on high alert as the storm unleashed its fury.
RWE, an energy developer, confirmed that their 400-megawatt (MW) Rampion offshore wind farm, consisting of 116 turbines near Sussex, had encountered no issues in the face of the tempest. Rampion had marked a milestone as the first offshore wind farm off the south coast of England when it commenced operations in April 2018. Similarly, there were no reported problems at London Array, a 630MW offshore wind farm situated 20 kilometers off the north coast of Kent in the Outer Thames Estuary.
Vattenfall, another leading renewable energy company, echoed RWE's assessment, stating that their Thanet (300MW) and Kentish Flats (140MW) offshore arrays, both located off the coast of Kent, remained unaffected by adverse weather conditions.
This demonstration of resilience underscores the robustness and durability of these offshore wind installations, confirming their ability to withstand extreme weather events and contribute to the stability of the region's energy supply. The incident serves as a testament to the engineering and technology employed in the renewable energy sector, reinforcing the role of offshore wind farms in the clean energy transition.
