DONG Energy has installed the first turbine at its Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm in the Thames Estuary off the east coast of England.

“This is an important step towards our goal of tripling our production of renewable energy by 2020,” said Niels Bergh-Hansen, executive vice president at DONG Energy. “We have only come this far because of the splendid cooperation with The Crown Estate, the Department of Energy and Climate Change and other state and local authorities.”

Set to begin operations in 2010, Gunfleet Sands will have a total energy-generating capacity of 172 megawatts.

“Offshore wind is important to help realize the government’s ambition to dramatically increase the amount of energy from renewable sources,” said Energy and Climate Change Minister Mike O’Brien. “That’s why, from today, offshore wind will get 50 percent more support through our renewable obligation. This will ultimately help in the fight against climate change and further secure the UK’s energy supplies.”

• For nuke-nixing Germany and Siemens, it’s full-steam ahead with wind
• New ventures to put China’s wind energy on steroids
• ‘Intelligent’ wind turbines could produce more, break down less
• Is it a plane? A wind turbine? New 3D radar tech can tell
• How to grow wind energy? Faster, more powerful data crunching
• GE teams with firm planning 1,000 MW of new wind power in India
• Made-in-Canada wind energy: Small but growing
• GE turbines to add 300MW of new wind power in Illinois
• How to build a better wind turbine? GE finds inspiration in MRIs
• US Energy Dept. finalizes $102m loan for Maine wind farm