Will A Large Green German Elephant Get Involved In The Clacton By-Election?
Before I start I’ll ask a question.
What Does Farage Think Of Offshore Wind Farms?
Google AI gave me this reply.
Nigel Farage opposes offshore wind farms, viewing them as an unreliable energy source and arguing that they cause industrial decline and impose “intolerable costs” on households.
His specific stances include:
Taxation & Subsidies: He has pledged that his Reform UK party would eliminate subsidies for wind projects and impose a windfall levy on existing wind farms that have received subsidies.
Energy Alternatives: Farage advocates for abandoning “net zero dogma” and pushes instead for increased oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, along with the expansion of nuclear energy.
Environmental Impact: He has criticized both onshore and offshore wind infrastructure for “despoiling our landscapes and seascapes”. His opposition aligns with previously documented discussions with US President Donald Trump, who has lobbied him against wind turbines.
RWE Development In The Clacton Constituency
RWE or RWE-led consortia are developing three wind farms in the waters off the constiuency.
- 1.1 GW – Five Estuaries
- 504 MW – North Falls
- 353 MW – Galloper
Note:
- In total they are around 2 GW.
- The wind farms are around 30 km. offshore.
- RWE are a respected German company, who are one of our largest electricity generators.
I believe that RWE and their partners could receive a lot of opposition to an overhead power line across Essex to connect these wind farms to the National Grid, and 2 GW would not be a small set of pylons.
But although RWE are German, they may have a Plan B.
RWE have been building a big offshore electrolyser in The Netherlands called H2OpZee and I believe that similar technology could be used at Clacton.
- The electrolyser would be about 30 km from the shore and look like a typical wind farm substation.
- There would be connections to both the UK and Germany, and green hydrogen would be able to be sent either way.
- As Germany is decarbonising industry using hydrogen, I suspect that most green hydrogen would initially be exported.
- But it could attract businesses that needed a lot of green energy to the Clacton area.
- And Clacton certainly needs jobs.
How would Farage deal with something that would bring prosperity to his constituency, but was against his principles?
Has The Clacton Constituency Anything To Do With The Offshore Wind Industry?
I ask this question as Nigel Farage, who is the sitting MP has called a by-election.
Before I answer, the question in the title, I will ask Google AI if he supports wind farms.
I received this reply.
Nigel Farage does not support offshore wind farms. As the leader of Reform UK, he opposes them and has pledged to eliminate renewable energy subsidies, impose a windfall tax on wind developers, scrap net-zero targets, and prioritize the expansion of North Sea oil and gas extraction.
Put this alongside the answer to the question I put in the title of this post.
Yes, the Clacton constituency is directly connected to the offshore wind industry through both established infrastructure and future energy projects off its coastline.The constituency’s specific ties to the wind sector include:
Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm: Located just 7 kilometers (about 4 miles) off the coast of Clacton and Holland-on-Sea, this wind farm has been operating since 2010. It features 48 turbines and can be seen directly from the town’s beachfront.
Electrical Connection Points: The Gunfleet Sands Offshore Transmission Owner (OFTO) system connects this wind farm to the UK’s national grid via cables and onshore substations based in the local area.
Five Estuaries Offshore Wind Farm: The Clacton coastline falls within the proposed zone for this massive £1.5 billion project. Jointly developed by SSE Renewables and RWE, the project is projected to power over 400,000 homes, with onshore grid infrastructure and cabling proposed for the North Essex area.
If the right independent candidate stood againt Farage, this could be an interesting contest.
The Anonymous Widower 