A £150m investment in the largest offshore wind farm in the world - off the coast of Kent - should safeguard jobs.

The European Investment Bank has offered the long-term funding to Vattenfall for the Thanet Offshore Wind Farm.

With 100 wind turbines generating electricity for 200,000 homes, the wind farm was set up in September last year.

The funding is being hailed as an important step in enabling the UK to achieve renewable energy targets - generating 15% of energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.

Simon Brooks, European Investment Bank vice president for the UK, said the Thanet Offshore wind farm made a "significant contribution to renewable energy supply."

The investment was welcomed by Johan Gyllenhoff, group treasurer at Vattenfall.

He said: "We are proud to have built the world's largest offshore wind farm, and we are very pleased with European Investment Bank long-term funding support at attractive terms and conditions, providing an alternative to bond markets."

The 13.5 square miles of the wind farm is off Foreness Point.

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, said he was delighted at the cash injection for Thanet Offshore Wind Farm.

He said: "It is fantastic news: fantastic news because Thanet is going to be able to supported in terms of jobs and investment; fantastic news for low carbon energey because we are going to be able to secure 200,000 plus homes with electricity and we're going to be able to meet the UK target for enerwable energy to be 15% of the whole by 2020."