Institution's response to the opening of Race Bank Wind Farm

Matt Rooney, Engineering Policy Adviser at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, congratulates Ørsted on the opening of the Race Bank Wind Farm:

“The opening of the Race Bank Wind Farm represents a major milestone for offshore wind in the UK. At 573 MW, it is a one of the largest projects of its kind in the world and it will contribute towards the ongoing decarbonisation of our power sector.

Offshore wind is a triumph of British manufacturing. Increased turbine sizes and advances in blade design and have helped to reduce the cost of offshore wind sharply in recent years.

Wind turbine manufacturing is spurring the development of regional centres of engineering excellence in the UK.  Blades for Race Bank were supplied by the Siemens Gamesa plant in Hull.

The success of the country’s offshore wind sector, along with the phase-out of coal power, has helped the UK achieve faster decarbonisation of our electricity that most other industrialised countries. Since 2012, average emissions associated with electricity production have fallen by more than 50%.”

Notes to Editors

• For interview requests and queries contact the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Press Office on 07990 566412 or email media@imeche.org.
• The Institution of Mechanical Engineers was established in 1847 and has some of the world’s greatest engineers in its history books. It is one of the fastest growing professional engineering institutions. Headquartered in London, we have operations around the world and over 120,000 members in more than 140 countries working at the heart of the most important and dynamic industries such as the automotive, rail, aerospace, medical, power and construction industries.