Centrica's Sambhi Sees Wind Power From Irish Sea by 2017
Jan. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Sarwjit Sambhi, managing director of power generation at Centrica Plc, talks with Bloombergs Francine Lacqua about the outlook for the companys offshore wind program after winning licenses from the British government. Sambhi, speaking from London, also discusses the prospects for the energy produced, the estimated costs of building wind turbines in the Irish Sea and the prospects for attracting outside investment. Centrica, RWE AG and Statoil ASA won licenses in Britains $120 billion offshore wind program, the worlds biggest, as the nation plans deep-water turbines to meet emission targets and help avert an energy shortfall. (Source: Bloomberg)
Renewable Energy Opportunities
The Port Of Barrow is one of Britain's best potential assembly sites for wind turbine equipment. In 2009 it is being prepared for servicing Dong's Walney windfarm construction. Last year it was used to complete electrical sub station topsides of the Robin Rigg wind farm.
Dong's offshore support base for the Barrow Offshore wind farm is located within the port at the Belfast berth.
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria's largest heavy industrial town, is a good place to manufacture or assemble wind turbines. Manufacturers wishing to supply the UK’s West Coast, Irish Sea basin and Ireland with turbine towers, engine nacelles, composite blades or electrical equipment are invited to set up here.
The port of Barrow can handle vessels of up to 36m beam and 230m length within the main docks, larger vessels can use the deep water "river" berth.
The quayside can handle cranes of 1,000 tonne lift capacity.
A modern ready to move into 6,804m2 building is available to lease at Anchor Basin, to help you get started.
The new Waterfront Business Park is also being created to help companies seeking to service the offshore wind industry.
The port has good road/rail connections. There are six Irish Sea wind farms planned in the coming decade, to find out more about them see below.
1. Barrow – Dong (operational) 2. Shell Flat – Shell Wind Energy Aegir 3. Southport – Energie Kontor UK Offshore 4. Burbo- Seascape Energy 5. North Hoyle – National Wind Power 6. Rhyl Flats – Celtic Offshore 7. Solway – E on
The port of Barrow was first used by contractors to support one of the early stage of Irish Sea Off Shore wind farm developments in May 2002. At the time Seacore project manager James McGovan said, “It is a very good facility here with lots of access. There is no problem in getting things in so it is ideal really for someone to base a wind farm operations – this week tubular steel piles 53m long, weighing 140 tonnes were lifted. Steel masts already erected at Barrow docks will be built on top of them. The two masts are being used by Shell Renewables International off Blackpool”
