Work to install the first turbines at what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm has begun with parts leaving the North East coast.
A total of 277 turbines each measuring 260 metres high will be installed at the Dogger Bank wind farm around 80 miles off the Yorkshire coast in the North Sea. When fully complete, the wind farm will occupy an area almost as large as Greater London and will be capable of supplying energy for six million homes.
Work to install the first 260m turbine is expected to begin at the weekend. The entire scheme will take about three years to build and will see see 海角视频 firm SSE Renewables work with Norway’s Equinor and Vårgrønn.
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Components for the development have left the Able Seaton Port at Hartlepool on the installation vessel, Jan de Nul’s Voltaire, the largest offshore jack-up installation vessel ever built.
Hundreds of jobs at the wind farm’s operations and maintenance base have been created at the Port of Tyne.
SSE CEO, Alistair Phillips-Davies said: “Dogger Bank is one of the biggest and most complex engineering and infrastructure projects anywhere in the world.
“Our progress here with our joint venture partners Equinor and Vårgrønn proves that offshore wind projects of this size are now mainstream and will help turbocharge the transition to the cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy system we all want to see.”
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Equinor’s EVP for renewables, Pål Eitrheim, said: “The imminent installation of the first turbine at Dogger Bank is a testament to the determination of the 海角视频 Government, the project partners, and the supply chain to deliver a world-class offshore wind project for the 海角视频. To reach our net zero goals, we will need even more of this collaboration.
“We’re delighted to soon begin operating Dogger Bank from our new O&M base at the Port of Tyne, which will host 400 jobs over the 35-year lifetime of the wind farm. We look forward to seeing the 277 turbines installed safely over the next three years, generating green electricity at scale and powering millions of British homes.”
Vårgrønn CEO Olav Hetland, said: “Dogger Bank shows that extensive collaboration is key to developing offshore wind farms that provide power at scale while driving innovation.
“Getting to this milestone has relied on the efforts of a huge number of local and international suppliers, and together we have now moved the boundaries of what is possible in offshore wind.”
SSE Renewables is lead operator for the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Equinor will be lead operator of the wind farm on completion for its expected operational life of around 35 years. Vårgrønn brings specialist offshore wind expertise to the project.
The companies involved said Dogger Bank has created and supported more than 2,000 jobs, mostly in the North East.
The scheme has been welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, who said: “This project will generate cheap, clean energy to power millions of homes and provide the 海角视频 with greater energy independence in the face of Putin’s energy ransom. Disruption to global energy supplies is one of the key risks we’ve highlighted in our new National Risk Register and working with SSE and its partners, we are making Britain more secure.”