6th October 2021 in Press releases, Project news, Uncategorised
- Names will adorn the Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the North Sea off the Yorkshire coast as legacy of COP26.
- UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and COP26 President Alok Sharma among the first to sign up.
- Signatures represent a show of support for world leaders to commit to more ambitious climate action at COP.
SSE, one of the UK’s largest low-carbon power firms and a Principal Partner of COP26, is inviting those who want to see an ambitious climate action agreed at COP26 to show their support by putting their names on the world’s largest offshore wind farm – with UK Prime Minister and COP26 President Alok Sharma among the first to sign up.
The switch to clean energy is vital if the world is to heed the IPCC’s recent ‘code red for humanity’, and, as the biggest single source of offshore power in the world, Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a symbol of the change needed globally.
SSE, with its joint venture partners Equinor and Eni, is offering world leaders and the general public alike a unique opportunity to be part of history with their names on Dogger Bank’s powerful turbines as a poignant symbol of the need for more urgent action and as a legacy of COP26.
The giant wind farm demonstrates how clear Government policy and private sector investment can drive the transition from carbon-intensive to clean power. Just one turn of a Dogger Bank turbine, three times bigger than the London Eye, will be enough to power a British home for two days.
With just 25 days to COP26, the UK public are being encouraged to throw their weight behind the need for ambitious global climate action to limit warming to 1.5 degrees.
The Prime Minister and COP26 President have today signed up to having their names added to the wind farm and will be encouraging world leaders to join them at COP26.
COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma said:
“The impacts of climate change can be seen around the world and COP26 is the last best hope for the world to come together and take action to protect the future of our planet.
“Dogger Bank has been developed by a UK business with international partners, manufactured on Teesside and employing thousands of UK workers, with its 3.6GW of wind energy set to power six million homes. Adding your name to this symbolic project ahead of COP26 is a great way to show support and leave a legacy.”
Across the country, people have already been doing their bit to drive change, from small individual actions to big businesses investing in infrastructure and technology to drive a cleaner, greener future.
SSE is investing £7.5bn in low-carbon projects to support the UK’s decarbonisation plans and is a proud partner to COP26.
Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE Chief Executive, said:
“Tackling the climate emergency requires everyone to play their part – from world leaders to governments to big businesses to communities to individuals. What we are building at Dogger Bank is representative of what can be done when government, business and the public pull together to power change.
“We want to send a clear signal ahead of COP26 that the writing is on the wall for climate change – literally in this sense – and by lending their name to Dogger Bank, anyone who cares about climate action can make their voice heard and create a lasting legacy.
“When we look back in decades to come, we want to say this was the moment the wind changed, with the demand from the public for an ambitious COP26 agreement helping avert the worst of global warming.”
Climate leaders from across the globe will be invited to add their name and lend their support for greater climate action by signing the turbine at COP26 itself in Glasgow.
Join the clamour for climate action and add your name to the world’s largest offshore wind farm now. The wind farm is currently under construction off the Yorkshire Coast with first power due in summer 2023. SSE Renewables is leading the development and construction phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm and Equinor will lead on operations for its lifetime of up to 35 years.
GE Renewable Energy secured contracts to provide its Haliade-X turbines for all three phases of the wind farm and is building a brand new, state-of-the-art factory in the north east, made possible by the major Dogger Bank contracts, creating hundreds of green jobs.
Project Director for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Steve Wilson, said:
“The north and north east of England are at the heart of building a low-carbon future and you can make your mark on history, alongside the Prime Minister and COP 26 President, by adding your name to this record-beating project.
“We’re delighted to offer this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of a fitting legacy of a pivotal moment in time, where we make the switch to a more sustainable world for future generations.”
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Picture caption: SSE, with its joint venture partners Equinor and Eni, is offering world leaders and the general public a unique opportunity to be part of history with their names on Dogger Bank’s powerful turbines as a poignant symbol of the need for more urgent action and as a legacy of COP26. Picture source: GE Renewable Energy.
30th September 2021 in Operations, Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
Great Yarmouth-based marine and engineering specialist Alicat has won a multi-million-pound contract with North Star Renewables to build low-carbon vessels destined for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, 130km off England’s North East coast.
Following a competitive tender involving multiple UK shipyards, Alicat has been awarded North Star’s initial contract to bring its first two hybrid-powered daughter craft to the renewables market. The vessels, which boast low carbon emission potential, will utilise the game changing combination of diesel and electric outboards, a world first for this form of workboat.
Designed by Southampton-based naval architects Chartwell Marine in collaboration with North Star, the daughter craft will be used to safely transfer technicians from their accommodation onboard North Star’s service offshore vessels (SOVs), to work on the offshore wind turbines at Dogger Bank A and B. Dogger Bank A and B are a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%). Dogger Bank C is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (50%) and Equinor (50%). SSE renewables is leading on the construction of the wind farm and Equinor will operate the wind farm for its lifetime of up to 35 years.
Once the third phase is completed and operational, it will become the biggest offshore wind farm ever built and able to generate around 5% of the UK’s electricity.
With bases in Aberdeen, Newcastle and Lowestoft, North Star has the world’s largest daughter rescue fleet and has been servicing the North Sea’s oil and gas sector for more than 40 years. It currently has 63 daughter craft within the existing fleet, managed and maintained by the two Rescue Boat divisions in Aberdeen and Lowestoft. North Star group includes 1,400 employees servicing more than 60 locations and mobile installations in the UK Continental Shelf.
The new hybrid propulsion daughter crafts include stabiliser technology ensuring the vessels will not only deliver reduced carbon emissions, but provide class leading comfort for the technicians on board whilst setting a new standard for safe operations. It has an increased sea state operability and safe transfer, tank tested at wave heights of up to 1.7m Hs – significantly higher than any alternative wind farm daughter craft.
The first daughter craft is being delivered 12 months ahead of schedule, under the build supervision locally of North Star Group’s Boston Putford division in Lowestoft. This will allow time for performance analysis and improvements, crew training and additional development ahead of the first of three SOVs arriving from summer 2023.
North Star chief operating officer and Boston Putford MD Robert Catchpole said:
“We are very excited to announce Alicat as the chosen shipbuilder for our first next generation and new breed of sustainable, reliable, comfortable daughter craft fleet, configured specifically for the renewables sector. Alicat is a leader in its field and demonstrated the comprehensive technical knowledge as well as great craftsmanship and the project management skills required to deliver the first of our new fleet. We also have great confidence in their capabilities after they satisfied all the financial, commercial and QHSE criteria set out in the contract.
“We are very fortunate to have talented companies like Alicat on our doorstep in East Anglia and working with them aligns to our strategy of utilising UK businesses whenever possible to strengthen our services in our ambitions as the market leader in marine offshore wind infrastructure support in the UK, and abroad.”
Alicat director Simon Coote, said:
“This multi-million-pound contract is a significant win for our business as it further establishes us on the renewables map as the first company in the world to build hybrid powered daughter craft, which is also the first offshore wind daughter craft to be built in the UK.
“Our involvement in testing and knowledge of the new breed of outboard propulsion packages has a significant role to play in the build of these innovative vessels.
“This is a great achievement for all the parties involved as well as for the local boatbuilding industry and supply chain which will support ongoing employment and open further opportunities for local employment and apprenticeships.”
Luca Daniele, marine and logistic leader at Equinor, said:
“It’s great to see the impact Dogger Bank is having on the UK supply chain, and to see innovative companies like Alicat benefit from building the world’s largest offshore wind farm here. Innovation and sustainability are key areas of focus for the project and we are delighted the award of this contract demonstrates both.”
17th March 2021 in Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
Leading Aberdeen company North Star Renewables was awarded contracts worth an estimated £270 million in March to deliver three state-of-the-art service operation vessels to be used on Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
North Star will be commencing a recruitment programme for new seafarers in the next six months. The firm is looking to hire around 130 onshore and offshore personnel from across the UK to support the Dogger Bank project.
Media contact – Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
Rachel Lawrence, SSE Renewables
rachel.lawrence@sse.com
+44 (0) 7385 368783
Media contact – North Star Renewables:
Pam Wilson, BIG Partnership
pam.wilson@bigpartnership.co.uk
+44 (0) 07772 287 588
22nd September 2021 in Community News, Press releases, Project news, Uncategorised
- Youngsters learn about importance of health and safety in offshore wind sector.
- Nottinghamshire-based firm nmcn shines a light on the construction industry.
- nmcn to donate career storybook to every Primary School in East Riding.
Representatives from the team building the world’s largest offshore wind farm took part in a health promotion event to inspire young people at an East Riding primary school.
The week-long series of health-focused events was organised by Woodmansey CE Primary School, with the Dogger Bank team invited along to address the health and safety-related aspects of the offshore wind industry.
A representative from nmcn, a construction firm working on behalf of Dogger Bank’s tier one supplier Hitachi ABB Power Grids, shared exerts from the company’s “When I grow up” career story book. nmcn, which is supporting the construction of the wind farm’s first onshore convertor station, near Beverley, is donating a copy of the award-winning book to every primary school in East Riding. More information about the book is available at https://nmcn.com/news/when-i-grow-up-nmcn-childrens-book/
Woodmansey CE Primary School Head of School, Bethan Nicholls, said:
“When we first heard about the role Woodmansey was playing in the installation of the largest offshore wind farm, we knew we had to share this journey with the children. Our annual Health Week provided the perfect platform for Rachel and Chris to come and share the benefits of wind farms and how the children’s very own village was being used.
“STEM is such a vital area of the curriculum and events such as this provide the children with real experience of the industry, hopefully inspiring some of our children to seek future careers within the science, technology, engineering or maths sectors. We are very grateful to Rachel and Chris for their engagement with us.”
Community Engagement Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Rachel Lawrence, said:
“The onshore cable route for the wind farm runs directly underneath the village of Woodmansey, and local children would have seen critical work going on near their school very recently. So it’s been great to have the opportunity to come in and talk to the children about how those cables will eventually transmit renewable energy to millions of UK homes, as well as sharing important health and safety messages from across the green energy sector.
“The children enjoyed trying on some protective clothing and asked some impressive questions about the energy transition.
“It was also great to have the support of nmcn to share their impressive career storybook, which they’re offering to all 124 primary schools in East Riding.”
In June Dogger Bank Wind Farm unveiled plans to invest £1 million in coastal communities during its construction. The programme will put science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), at the heart of children’s education, helping them prepare for jobs that will be vital to the green economic recovery of the UK. Local community organisations can also apply for grants up to £500 at https://doggerbank.com/about/community/
The East Riding part of the programme was developed in partnership with East Riding of Yorkshire Council, providing opportunities for all 124 primary schools in the county to increase and expand their STEM provision. The programme will also be rolled out on Teesside where the wind farm’s third phase connects to the National Grid, as well as South Tyneside where the operation and maintenance base will be located.
nmcn Business Development Manager, Chris Withers, said:
“The Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a major development which will deliver a number of benefits for both the public and supply chain. Through nmcn’s involvement in the project on behalf of Hitachi ABB Power Grids providing the civil engineering scope, we are also delighted to be able to visit Woodmansey Primary School to provide an insight into the construction industry, deliver health and safety advice and inspire future generations.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is to be built more than 130km off the Yorkshire coast in the North Sea, is currently being developed in three 1.2GW phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C.
Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40 per cent), Equinor (40 per cent) and Eni (20 per cent), and will connect the National Grid between Beverley and Cottingham. Dogger Bank C is a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor and will connect the National Grid on Teesside.
Work on the onshore convertor station for Dogger Bank A began in the summer, at a site off the A1079 between Beverley and Cottingham. The convertor station will take the electricity generated by the wind turbines from the first phase of the wind farm in the North Sea, and convert it from HVDC to HVAC current, before the power passes through the adjacent main substation into the National Grid for distribution to homes and businesses.
nmcn is carrying out civil engineering work at the site on behalf of Hitachi ABB Power Grids. Hull-based Ashcourt Group previously carried out preparation work at the A1079 site on behalf of Hitachi ABB Power Grids.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm awarded contracts to Hitachi ABB Power Grids to install its HVDC Light® technology to connect the transmission link on all three phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, making it the UK’s first HVDC-connected windfarm.
13th September 2021 in Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
- Plans for the Teesside-based factory were unveiled by LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy Business, following a significant order from Dogger Bank Wind Farm for the Haliade-X turbine.
- The Teesworks plant will produce sets of 107m blades for GE’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.
- The Haliade-X turbines will be installed on Dogger Bank Wind Farm, more than 130km from the Yorkshire coast.
- Blades produced in Teesside will be installed at Dogger Bank from 2024 onwards.
- Facility will create 750 direct and 1,500 indirect jobs in the region.
GE Renewable Energy has secured planning approval to build a new world-class blade manufacturing facility on Teesside in the north-east of England to produce blades for its Haliade-X turbine that will power Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
The significant order of Haliade-X offshore wind turbines from Dogger Bank Wind Farm was a decisive factor in GE Renewable Energy’s decision to green light the new manufacturing plant earlier this year, delivering a long-term renewable energy jobs boost to the region. The UK Government has also provided support to GE Renewable Energy to set up this new plant near Teesside as part of a greater effort to develop an industry and supply chain for the development of offshore wind in the country. This follows the designation of Teesside as one of the UK’s newest freeports.
Construction of the plant should begin later in 2021 on completion of all contractual documents, while recruitment is scheduled to begin in mid-2022.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:
“It’s fantastic news that this mammoth project has passed the planning hurdle and is on course to be up-and-running by 2023, helping to create thousands of well-paid, good-quality jobs for people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. Once completed, it will play a central role in our ambitions to become a powerhouse in the growing UK offshore wind sector and add a huge amount to our clean energy credentials. In the short-term, we can now get spades in the ground and give a vital post-pandemic boost to our construction sector.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director, Steve Wilson, said:
“This important milestone brings us a step closer to the installation of UK-manufactured turbine blades on the world’s largest offshore wind farm. We’re proud to be the anchor project for this world-leading LM Wind Power facility, which offers long-term benefits to Teesside and the wider UK supply chain.”
LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business, will set up and operate the state-of-the-art new facility at Teesworks, an ideal location to serve the vast offshore wind potential of the North Sea. It is anticipated the factory, which will start producing the 107-metre blades in 2023, will create up to 750 direct jobs, and around 1,500 indirect jobs, in the region.
Olivier Fontan, President & CEO of LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business said:
“We are delighted to have received this important approval from the local planning authorities and are thankful for the collaboration between all parties involved, including Teesworks and the South Tees Development Corporation. This important milestone sets us on track for the construction and future opening of the facility in 2023. We are proud of the contribution we will be making in rejuvenating this industrial cluster and helping it play a key role in future of renewable energy.”
A substantial number of Haliade-X blades for Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be among the first orders to be delivered from the new manufacturing plant. Blades produced at Teesworks will be installed from 2024 onwards.
Andrew Bellamy, LM Wind Power UK General Manager said:
“We anticipate the vast majority of the roles in our new factory to be filled by local workers who will be given training through the LM Centre of Excellence, where they will be fully upskilled on blade manufacturing techniques. These highly skilled operator roles are key to the success of the plant, and we are ready to leverage the knowledge and experience of our global LM Wind Power team with the manufacturing pedigree of the Tees region.”
Confirmation that part of the turbine blades for Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be manufactured in the UK delivers on a key commitment by the wind farm’s joint developers SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni to support the development of a UK supply chain, creating substantial local jobs and maximising UK supply chain opportunities.
GE’s Haliade-X is the most powerful offshore wind turbine in operation today. The Haliade-X 13MW turbine was confirmed for the first two phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm in September 2020, with a record-breaking order for 190 of the innovative machines. GE Renewable Energy has also been selected to provide its uprated Haliade-X 14MW for Dogger Bank C, subject to Dogger Bank C reaching Financial Close in late 2021.
The three phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm will have a combined installed generation capacity of 3.6GW, enough to power six million UK homes. When complete in 2026, it will be the world’s biggest offshore wind farm.
The 2.4GW Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%). The A and B phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm reached financial close in November 2020 at competitive terms underlining the attractiveness of the UK offshore wind assets and the confidence in the joint venture. The 1.2GW third phase of the wind farm, Dogger Bank C, is a 50:50 joint venture between Equinor and SSE Renewables and is being developed under a different timeline.
SSE Renewables is leading on the construction and delivery of all three phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Equinor will operate Dogger Bank Wind Farm on completion.
The electricity generated by the turbines at Dogger Bank, which are between 130km and over 200km from shore, will be transmitted onshore via subsea cables. Due to the distance of each of the Dogger Bank phases offshore, it will be the first wind farm in the UK to utilise an HVDC connection. The use of an HVDC connection will ensure the renewable energy being transmitted over the long distances from the Dogger Bank offshore to the onshore grid connections in England’s East Riding and Teesside will be achieved efficiently while minimising losses.
Ends
Picture caption: GE Renewable Energy has secured planning approval to build a new world-class blade manufacturing facility on Teesside in the north-east of England to produce blades for its Haliade-X turbine that will power Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Picture source: GE Renewable Energy.
Media contact – Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
Rachel Lawrence, SSE Renewables
rachel.lawrence@sse.com
+44 (0) 7385 368783
Media contact – GE Renewable Energy:
Sebastien Duchamp
sebastien.duchamp@ge.com
+33 6 73 19 59 64
31st August 2021 in Community News, Press releases, Project news
A marine support crew working on Dogger Bank Wind Farm rescued a young boy at the weekend, when he got into difficulty in water at Bridlington Harbour.
The two-man crew from Scotland-based SMS was returning to the harbour on Sunday, when they heard a splash on the opposite side of the pontoon.
Celtic Mara Skipper Chris Warren and Deck Hand Neil MacInnes, spotted a young boy clinging to side of the pontoon in a state of panic. Neil pulled the boy to safety while Chris prevented a ladder from a nearby yacht falling onto the boy’s head.
The team offered the little boy, aged approximately 7 or 8, thermal protection and reassurance before leaving him in the care of his family.
“We were happy to have been in the right place at the right time to reach out and help this little boy. When we got to him he was shocked, cold and shivery, but thankfully didn’t appear to have swallowed any water,” explained Chris.
“We didn’t see how he got into difficulty and while the water there isn’t that deep, the ground is thick with mud and the temperature of the water is enough to send you into a panic.
“As we’re all trained in health and safety, first-aid and marine rescue, having commercial boats in a harbour to support a wind farm development can offer an extra degree of resilience, in addition to the critical work already carried out by the local RNLI and independent lifeboat crews.
“In our work we come across quite a lot of people near water who aren’t wearing lifejackets, and perhaps don’t fully appreciate the hidden dangers of falling into cold water.
“ As experienced mariners we would advise anyone who is spending time near water to follow the advice given by the RNLI at www.rnli.org”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is to be built more than 130km off the Yorkshire coast in the North Sea, is currently being developed in three 1.2GW phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C.
Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40 per cent), Equinor (40 per cent) and Eni (20 per cent), and will connect the National Grid between Beverley and Cottingham. Dogger Bank C is a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor and will connect the National Grid on Teesside.
Chris and Neil are currently supporting Dogger Bank’s export cable provider, NKT and its sub-contractor ABCO, with crew transfers as they carry out inspection work on the nearshore cable route for A and B, adjacent to the landfall point at Ulrome.
Community Engagement Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Rachel Lawrence, said:
“The crew’s quick actions undoubtedly prevented what could have turned out to be a very different day for the little boy.
“The safety of people working on our development and the surrounding communities is paramount on Dogger Bank Wind Farm. The Celtic Mara team perfectly embody that safety culture, and deserve to be recognised for demonstrating how to work swiftly, calmly and efficiently in a crisis.
“We hope the little boy involved is feeling much better. ”
