There is a wind farm larger than Venice in operation in the UK

It's Hornsea 2 and it powers millions of people.The news comes as Liz Truss, a prime minister with little interest in the energy transition, takes office in London.

A few days ago the Danish energy company Ørsted announced that the offshore wind farm named Hornsea 2 is fully operational.The immense plant is located approximately 69 kilometers off the coast of Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom.Hornsea 2 is the new largest offshore wind farm in the world, taking over this record from its "big brother" Hornsea 1.In fact, with a surface area of ​​462 square kilometers, Hornsea 2 covers a larger surface area than that of Venice.

Clean energy for millions of homes

This fascinating "wind forest" which rises from the waters of the North Sea can count on the constant motion of 165 200 meter high turbines, from whose ends 80 meter long blades emerge.According to project director Patrick Hanrett “a single rotation by one of the blades is sufficient to produce thedaily energy needed for a home”.

The 100 percent operational yield of the park allows it to produce more than 1.3 gigawatts (GW) – which Ørsted estimates is sufficient for the energy needs of 2.5 million homes – and adds to the already considerable potential wind power offshore operating off the British coast.The energy produced in the North Sea by converting the force of the wind then reaches the coasts via cables that land on land near Grimsby, Lincolnshire, and from there on to the entire national territory. An ever-expanding infrastructure, especially considering that the birth of projects number 3 and 4 is expected not far from Hornsea 2.

Cooperating in Europe on renewable energy

The news of Hornsea 2's entry into full operation comes at the height of the "perfect storm" of energy, as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security defined it in August Josep Borrell.The outbreak of war in Ukraine and the consequent effect on Russian gas supplies have exposed the energy dependence that Europe has maintained on politically unstable non-EU countries, primarily Russia.If on the one hand the fossil concern is understandable for the present and immediate future of the Union, especially after Russia's decision to close the Nord stream 1 gas pipeline, on the other it is useful to consider the impetus that this emergency has given to the countries Europeans towards a cooperative approach in investing in alternative sources of energy.A first example comes to us from the island of Bornholm, in the Baltic Sea, where the government of Germany - among the most dependent on Russian gas and the landing point of the Nord stream - and the Danish government are collaborating to build an offshore wind hub.Denmark is also among them eight countries overlooking the Baltic Sea who have reached a agreement to increase energy production sevenfold resulting from a joint plant built in the Baltic.

Liz Truss and the UK's energy transition

We now need to understand if and what approach the United Kingdom and its new Prime Minister will take, Liz Truss will adopt on the topic of energy and cooperation with the Union.The North Sea remains the main context to turn to.For now, the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is working with neighboring countries, including Germany, as part of the North seas energy cooperation, a forum that promotes the growth of renewable energy.“London wants to continue in this direction,” said the head of energy at the British Embassy in Berlin.

There is no doubt, however, that the arrival of the new conservative leader has aroused concern among environmentalists British, after that Truss itself has said it will resume drilling North Sea to address the energy crisis, rejecting any hypothesis of energy rationing and reduction of citizens' consumption.Truss is also known for some stances against the installation of new wind and solar farms.As Ben Goldsmith, president of the Conservative Environment Network and long-time supporter of Boris Johnson, told the British Guardian newspaper:“Truss is not known for her passion for nature. She has not made a name for herself as an environmental leader“.Not the best conditions for those who believe in a cooperative future for the production and distribution of clean energy in Europe.