Vattenfall

About the Vattenfall Group
 
Vattenfall is one of Europe's largest generators of electricity and largest producer of heat. Vattenfall's main products are electricity, heat and gas.

The Group employs approximately 38,000 employees across Europe. The Parent Company, Vattenfall AB, is 100% owned by the Swedish state. Vattenfall operates in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Poland and the UK. Vattenfall has identified the UK as a market for future growth and has strong ambitions for both offshore and onshore wind power.
 
Vattenfall in Kent

Vattenfall owns and operates two wind farms in Kent.

• Thanet Offshore Wind Farm

Vattenfall acquired the Thanet Offshore Wind Farm project in November 2008. Construction was completed September 2010. There are 100 Vestas V90 wind turbines that have a total capacity of 300 MW. This is sufficient to supply more than 200,000 homes per year with green energy.
Until recently it was  the largest operational offshore wind farm anywhere in the world and has made a significant contribution to the Government’s national and regional renewable energy targets.
The Thanet  Offshore Wind Farm is located approximately 12 km off Foreness Point, the most eastern part of Kent.
 

• Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm

Vattenfall acquired Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm in 2005. This wind farm is located approximately 8.5 to 13 km north of Herne Bay and Whitstable in Kent.
It is comprised of 30 3MW Vestas turbines that are expected to generate more than 280 GWh of green electricity every year, which is equivalent to the total annual electricity need of more than 61,000 UK households.
The Kentish Flats Wind Farm set a dual record at the time of its erection in 2005: The wind turbines were the largest installed in the UK, and it was also the largest wind farm in the country.
 
Future Projects

• Kentish Flats Extension

Vattenfall are in the early stages of applying for consent to the Infrastructure Planning Committee to extend the existing Kentish Flats Wind Farm. On 10th November this consent was “accepted” by the IPC and will now be put through the approval process which may take up to 15 months.

Keeping it Local

Vattenfall already considers itself part of the local community around it’s existing wind farms in Kent and as such will ensure as many benefits as possible are shared with local people. For example, local suppliers will be used wherever possible and local people will be employed.

The wind farm already buys products and services from many local companies for turbine servicing; this will increase if new turbines are installed. The current team of technicians all live in the local area and it is a Vattenfall objective to ensure local people are hired when there are job opportunities.

If you require any further information about Vattenfall, please log onto our website at www.vattenfall.co.uk. Alternatively contact Melanie Rogers, Local Communications Officer on 07817 944359 or email her on Melanie.rogers@vattenfall.co.uk.