UP to 300 wind turbines the height of the London Eye could be sited off the Dorset coast and generating energy by 2018.

The offshore wind farm – one of nine to be built nationwide – will provide enough power to sustain more than 600,000 homes.

Details of the ambitious £3billion project were unveiled at a launch event in Bournemouth yesterday.

Representatives from Dutch company Eneco, which has exclusive rights to build the park, were on hand to answer questions about their plans.

The development zone, situated to the west of the Isle of Wight, is some 250 square miles in size but only around 30 per cent of it will be developed with turbines.

Project director Chris Sherrington anticipates a need for between 180 and 300 turbines, which together will provide around 900MW of power.

The turbines will be between eight and 20 miles from land. The shortest distance will be from Durlston Head and, on a clear day, some turbines will be visible from the coast.

Eneco is currently researching where best to put the turbines. Several factors, including the effect on wildlife and local shipping channels, need to be taken into account.

Wind power can be less reliable than more traditional energy sources but Mr Sherrington does not think this will be a problem.

“There is a minimum wind speed that we need for the blades to turn,” he said. “But one of the benefits of offshore is that you get more reliable consistent wind.

“We’ve got an operational wind farm off the coast in the Netherlands which is performing really well.”

And as well as the green benefits, he believes the region will also benefit economically. Local firms are already helping with the surveying work and there will be other opportunities during construction.

“We’re also going to need a local port to get technicians out to service the turbines,” he said “And we’ll need full time employees to work as service technicians. These are skilled jobs.”