The UK wind energy industry received a boost yesterday (Wednesday) with the announcement of the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, to be built by Dong Energy 120km off the Yorkshire coast. The project will feature around 150 and 332 wind turbines.

The wind farm is being developed with a capacity of 1.2GW and will provide electricity to around one million homes in the country. The wind project is in line with the firm’s strategy of installing 6.5GW by 2020. The company was awarded a contract for the project in April 2014.

Brent Cheshire, chief executive of Dong Energy in the UK said:

“We are making a major financial investment to construct this giant windfarm and this underlines our commitment to the UK market. Hornsea Project One will support the supply chain and help create local jobs.”

An estimated 2,000 jobs will be created for the construction of the project, with a further 300 jobs likely to be created for its operation. Dong, Denmark’s state-backed energy utility, told The Guardian it expected to invest another £6bn in the UK by 2020 (€7.8bn), in a fillip to the beleaguered wind industry.