Around £5.4 billion will be invested by DONG Energy in the UK’s offshore wind industry by 2019.

The investment supports offshore wind farms off the coast of North West England especially in Cumbria and the Liverpool region.

The Danish company currently has four offshore wind farms in operation and is developing two more including the 660MW Walney Extension project which upon completion in 2018 will be the world’s largest.

The combined output of its North West offshore wind farms will be capable of meeting the power needs of more than 1.5 million homes.

Brent Cheshire, UK Country Chairman of DONG Energy said: “Our green energy projects are delivering a significant boost to the local economy, sustaining a local supply chain and creating jobs for local people.

“The wind farms we are developing in this region are enabling us to place large-scale contracts with UK suppliers which acts as a catalysis for further investment and upskilling benefits across the supply chain.”