Energy and Clean Growth Minister Chris Skidmore has welcomed the first operations at Hornsea One offshore wind farm, the multi-billion pound investment that is helping bringing hundreds of jobs and a world record to Grimsby.
Service operation vessel Edda Mistral sailed with her dedicated crew on the first voyage of its kind last weekend, as electricity is generated while the build out of what will become the largest wind farm yet continues.
The teams will spend a fortnight in the field before returning to owner operator Orsted’s East Coast Hub on Grimsby’s Royal Dock.
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Mr Skidmore said: “The start of operations at the world’s largest wind farm at Hornsea One is an important milestone and yet another example of British innovation and the 海角视频’s leadership in offshore wind.
“We already have the largest installed offshore wind capacity in the world, and once fully up and running this wind farm will provide enough power for one million more homes, putting us well on the way to our target of a third of the 海角视频’s electricity coming from offshore wind by 2030.”
Hornsea One is a step-change in size of wind farms, around double the power of the current world’s largest, Walney Extension.
It is located 120km off the Humber approaches, the furthest from shore a wind farm has ever been built.
The team has incorporated many innovations and “world firsts” due to the project’s scale and distance, including helicopter refuelling.
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Two 32-strong teams will work on a shift-system, and will be responsible for operating and maintaining the wind farm, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout its 25-year life-span, liaising with the team back in Grimsby, manufacturer Siemens Gamesa and others.
The huge scale of the project means that operations are beginning before construction is complete. More than 50 of the 174 Siemens Gamesa 7MW turbines are operational, and turbine installation is expected to continue until late summer.
That means Grimsby’s installed capacity now stands at more than 1.8GW.
Next up is Hornsea Two, which will eclipse Hornsea One. Initial work on cabling is already underway, and the offshore element will follow the first farm in the zone's completion.