Green Blogging

As reported in the Fakenham Times, Wells and the North Norfolk area in general are due a big financial boost from the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind farm which is setting up a community fund which will give £100,000 a year to eco-friendly community schemes. Over the expected 50 year life of the project (due to start pumping electricity next year), this will amount to a huge investment in the area.

The project, to be operated by Scira Offshore Energy,  jointly owned by Norwegian companies Statoil and Statkraf, has already supported a number of green projects including:

• sponsorship of a Green Build sustainable construction event at Felbrigg Hall
• funding to improve Plumstead village pond near Holt
• funds to help Coastwatch at Wells
• funding to support the annual carnival and ChristmasTide events at Wells, and
• money to help give local police marine survival training

Details of how to apply for grants will be published next year.  Projects will need to be environmentally friendly to qualify, so this will encourage eco friendly developments in the area.  It is expected that projects to be supported in future will include local schools and community groups, and projects and initiatives focusing on renewable energy, marine conservation, safety and sustainability.

An interesting item on Wikipedia states that the UK has the largest shallow-water offshore wind resource in the world, and also that it has been estimated that the UK could provide over 33% of the total European potential for offshore wind energy.

If all the companies running the wind farm projects are as generous in supporting local communities as Scira Offshore Energy have been, this could result in massive investment generally in this country. ‘NIMBY’ objectors take note!