Renewable energy projects to support 8,500 jobs

The department of energy and climate change (DECC) believes that by 2020, the projects will provide up to £12bn of private sector investment, supporting 8,500 jobs. Furthermore, they could add 4.5GW of low-carbon electricity to Britain’s energy mix.

Once built, the successful projects will contribute around 15TWh or 14 per cent of the renewable electricity expected to come forward by 2020, helping the UK to meet its renewable energy targets. They will also reduce emissions by 10 MtCO2 per year compared to fossil fuel power generation.

The projects – including the 664MW Beatrice offshore wind farm in Scotland; Drax Unit #1 biomass conversion in Selby, Yorkshire; and the 299MW Teeside biomass with combined heat and power project in Middlesborough - have been offered under Contracts for Difference (CfD), which form part of government’s Electricity Market Reform programme.

In a statement, energy and climate change secretary Edward Davey said: ‘These are the first investments from our reforms to build the world’s first low carbon electricity market - reforms which will see competition and markets attract tens of billions of pounds of vital energy investment whilst reducing the costs of clean energy to consumers.