North Sea Race Bank wind farm opens near Lincolnshire and Norfolk

An "innovative" offshore wind farm with 91 turbines has opened off the Norfolk and Lincolnshire coast.

Danish energy firm Orsted, formerly Dong, said its Race Bank wind farm was the fifth biggest in the world and could power about 500,000 UK homes.

It is 17 miles out into the North Sea between Blakeney Point, in Norfolk, and Chapel St Leonards, in Lincolnshire.

The company said it expected the 250-workforce at its Grimsby base to double over the next five years.

Some of Race Bank's turbines are the first to use the 75-metre blades made at the Siemens Gamesa blade factory in Hull, Orsted said.

The project features a new "state-of-the-art" ship called a Service Operation Vessel (SOV).

It is being used to carry out offshore maintenance, with technicians onboard working fortnightly rotating shifts.

Chairman of the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership Lord Haskins welcomed the "great news" and said he hoped it would improve the region's economy.

The Service Operation Vessel (SOV) berths into Grimsby every fortnight to change crews

The "state-of-the-art" ship includes bedrooms for workers

Matthew Wright, managing director at Orsted UK, said the wind farm "is a hugely significant and innovative project".

He said: "Race Bank is a fantastic infrastructure project and underlines Orsted's contribution to the UK's energy transition.

"It's also another clear signal of our firm commitment to Grimsby and the Humber, and the UK supply chain for offshore wind."

He said the scheme was a "positive step towards delivering the UK's decarbonised energy system of the future".

The development attracted controversy when fishing boat owners became involved in a dispute with the company.

They were banned from entering parts of the North Sea while the wind farm was being constructed.

The wind farm is owned 50% by Orsted and 50% by a consortium of investors. It covers 75 sq km and is capable of generating 573 megawatts.