A consortium, in which DONG Energy is a 50 percent partner was today announced as the successful bidder to develop an offshore wind facility off the south east coast of County Down.

The Crown Estate and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment named the First Flight Wind consortium at an event at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. The other members of the consortium besides DONG Energy are B9 and RES who make up the other 50 percent share.

The project has the potential to deliver up to 600MW of generating capacity for Northern Ireland.

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Benj Sykes, DONG Energy Wind UK's country manager who will also be the chairman of the consortium said: "This is great news for First Flight Wind and great news for DONG Energy. Each member of the consortium brings specific expertise to the project and the fact that we’ve won the bid shows we can work very well together. DONG Energy is a world leader in offshore wind and we are already building several projects across Northern Europe, including three under construction here in the UK. We have developed a lot of expertise in planning, constructing and operating wind farms that we will contribute to the First Flight Wind project."

Offshore wind is crucial for Northern Ireland to reach its target, as set by the Northern Ireland Executive, of 40% of electricity from renewable sources by 2020 and further progress beyond then.

(CD/GK)