Dogger Banks phase A is operational with the power being transmitted to the UK’s national grid for the first time.
Key facts:
- At 260 metres tall, the gigantic turbines at Dogger Bank are almost twice the size of the London Eye and the same height as New York’s iconic Rockefeller Centre.
- Dogger Bank sits 70 nautical miles (130km) off the coast of Yorkshire and will occupy an area almost as large as Greater London and nearly twice the size of New York City.
- Each rotation of the first turbine’s 107m long can produce enough clean energy to power an average home for two days.
The Dogger Bank offshore wind farm is a joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%) and is set to be the world's largest offshore wind farm. Located in the North Sea approximately 70 nautical miles, 130km, off the coast of Yorkshire the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being constructed amidst UK waters. This behemoth of a project can be divided into three 1.2GW phases.
Dogger Bank A (with 95 wind turbines)
The first phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm is Dogger Bank A, which is located around 131km from shore at its closest point and has a development area of around 515km².
Dogger Bank B (with 95 wind turbines)
The largest of the projects, with a development area of around 599km², is also around 131km from shore at its closest point.
Dogger Bank C (with 87 wind turbines)
Also with an installed generation capacity of 1.2GW, has a development area of around 560km2, and is 196km from shore.
“A renewable mega-project like Dogger Bank constitutes an industrial wind hub in the heart of the North Sea, playing a major role in the UK’s ambitions for offshore wind and supporting its net zero ambitions.
Anders Opedal, CEO of Equinor
Each turbine is home to GE Vernova’s ground-breaking Haliade-X 13MW turbines which are the largest and most powerful turbines in the world. Each rotation of the enormous 107m long blades on Dogger Bank’s first operational turbine can produce enough clean energy to power an average British home for two days. Power generated by Dogger Bank is to be transmitted via a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system, which makes it the first-time use of this next-generation technology on any UK wind farm. Currently, phase A is operational with the first power being transmitted to the UK’s national grid on the 10th of October 2023.
“This massive innovative clean energy project is a significant step forward for the UK’s world-leading offshore wind industry, creating thousands of jobs and attracting billions in private investment."
Dan McGrail RenewableUK’s Chief Executive
Challenges
As with any project of this size and scale, Dogger Bank encountered a number of challenges. As Dogger Bank is situated 70 nautical miles (130km) offshore it took an enormous effort to transport the 107m long Haliade-X blades and other essential construction materials. With Dogger Bank being a bottom-fixed windfarm installing the foundations in waters of up to 35 meters it took an immense amount of planning and perseverance to safely and successfully install what is arguably the most important aspect.
This was done utilising Alfa Lifts, Ulstein design, 3,000-tonne crane, state-of-the-art mission equipment and a smart deck handling system. Additionally, the current political climate of the world caused unforeseen costs due to supply-chain blockages and higher raw material prices.
Benefits
The UK is set to receive a number of substantial benefits from the construction of Dogger Bank. More than 2,000 UK jobs and apprenticeships have been created or supported in relation to the construction and operation activities of Dogger Bank. Many of these are based in the north of England, where the project’s supply chain is creating long-term opportunities for people just starting out in their engineering careers, as well as more experienced workers transitioning from other industries to renewable energy. This new stream of potential employment opportunities will help bolster the economies of the surrounding towns.
In addition to the economic growth, Dogger Bank is well on its way to supporting the UK's goal of reaching its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050. At 3.6GW Dogger Bank will be the largest wind farm in the world, capable of generating enough renewable power to provide around 5% of the UK’s electricity demand.
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