27th October 2022 in Community News, Press releases, Project news
The Dogger Bank Wind Farm team walked away with a major award for health, safety and wellbeing following the first ever Global Offshore Wind Awards at a ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London this week, for its ‘Safety by Design’ initiative
Organised by RenewableUK, the awards highlight the achievements of innovative people working in the offshore wind industry, as the UK continues its journey to improve Britain’s energy security through an ambition of installing 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030.
Winning the first award of the evening for Offshore Wind Health & Safety and Wellbeing, the team from Dogger Bank Wind Farm, including SSE Renewables, Equinor and foundation designer Wood Thilsted, were commended by the judges for the way they included health and safety as an integral part of project planning and how their approach was the embodiment of best practice in the industry.
The ‘Safety by Design’ initiative used operational experiences, past incidents and industry statistics to improve health and safety through design on Dogger Bank.
Through several design changes of the wind turbines, foundations and service operation vessels (SOVs), this resulted in the following improvements over the project lifetime: 1 million offshore lifts removed, manual handling of 20,000 tons over 1000 kilometres and removal of exposure to a 3-meter fall for 650 days. In addition, the risk of collision between SOVs and the wind turbines has been significantly reduced.
Accepting the award on behalf of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Project Director Olly Cass said:
“Health and Safety are always the top priorities at Dogger Bank – our motto is ‘if it is not safe, we don’t do it.’ It is fantastic for our H&S colleagues and the wider team to have the quality of their work recognised in this way by the judges and in front of industry peers.”
Andrew Saunders, Dogger Bank Prepare for Operations Manager at Equinor, said:
”It is a real honour to be recognised by the industry for this ‘Safe by Design’ initiative, the result of strong collaboration between project partners and contractors to make a real difference. Taking G+ incident statistics, operational experiences and lessons has led us to eliminate vast amounts of craning and manual handling activities, which will have an incredibly positive impact to the health, safety and wellbeing of our technicians and engineers on a daily basis.”
RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail said:
“The UK is a world leader in offshore wind and it’s right to celebrate what drives our industry forward – growth, innovation, the vibrancy and resilience of our supply chain, our incredible people and the quality of our provisions on health and safety.
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Picture caption: Global Offshore Wind Awards 2022 at Royal Lancaster Hotel
20th October 2022 in Community News, Press releases
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has doubled its operator fund grants for community groups in its key communities in recognition of increasing costs and financial pressures.
In light of the current crisis and new challenges that many communities are facing, the amount that groups in East Riding of Yorkshire, South Tyneside and Redcar and Cleveland can apply for has increased from £500 to £1000.
The Dogger Bank Operator Fund provides small grants to grass roots community projects to help enhance quality of life for local residents, contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful, and sustainable communities, and/or promote community spirit and encourage community activity. Since the fund started, 38 different projects have been supported and almost £55,000 has been awarded to help local people recover and rebuild from the pandemic and to enhance local community assets.
The funding decisions are made by a panel with representatives from wind farm joint venture partners Equinor and SSE Renewables, as well as independent participant Caroline Lofthouse from NOF. NOF is a not-for-profit business development organisation helping to make connections between national businesses and the energy sector.
Rachel Lawrence, Community Engagement Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said:
“We recognise community groups are playing an increasingly valuable role in supporting our key communities and yet they themselves are facing the financial pressures we all face currently. By doubling our operator fund grants at this time, we hope to alleviate some of the financial pressure that could prevent these critical organisations from being able to maintain and grow the services that are a lifeline for many.”
In South Tyneside, the fund enabled South Shields Cricket Club new girls cricket team to arrange a trip to London where they received a coaching session at Lords Cricket Ground. Local charity Wilby Roc has also been funded to deliver a community well-being day. The charity recognises that many local people have had a challenging year and will deliver a well-being day which will allow community members to try new activities and crafts and learn well-being techniques.
Danielle Pollard, Education Director at Wilby Rocs, said:
“The grant from the Dogger Bank Wind Farm will go towards essential well-being services. The people of South Tyneside have been through so much and we want to create a day where we can get people together and find out how to improve well-being, physical and mental health. I give a huge thanks to Dogger Bank Wind Farm from Wilby Roc’s and the people of South Tyneside.”
Also in the region, Bede’s Helping Hands has been supported to set up a job search club in their premises. The facility will enable local people to develop CVs, search for jobs and complete on-line training.
In East Riding of Yorkshire, Dogger Bank Wind Farm has further demonstrated its commitment to enhancing local community assets with an award to Hornsea Town Walking Football Club. The club will use the £500 award to purchase a portable and fully automated defibrillator.
Jon Fish, Lead Medical Officer at Hornsea Town Walking Club said:
“I am pleased that Hornsea Town WFC now has a ‘state of the art’ portable defibrillator which can travel with players to tournament and league matches.”
Men in Sheds Beverley, East Yorkshire has also been provided with support to enhance their facilities. This will enable more local older people to meet up, learn new skills and complete craftwork for the community. The Men in Sheds initiative is used by lots of local people, especially those who experience isolation or who are recovering from health complications including cancer and strokes.
In Redcar and Cleveland, the operator fund helped local community group Normanby Community Forum with the lack of electric lighting in their Wildlife Garden. Through a successful funding application to the Dogger Bank Operator Fund, the forum was able to source a local electrician to fit a light in the Wildlife Garden, which now provides ample light coverage for the whole area, ensuring residents and passers-by feel safe and comfortable to use the space for quiet contemplation in an otherwise busy area.
Leo Croft, Community Development Officer at Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council said:
“The Wildlife Garden is a small piece of green space on the corner of an extremely busy and urbanised area of Normanby, on the border to Middlesbrough. The opportunity for local residents – especially elderly – is limited in terms of enjoying green, quiet, and tranquil spaces, therefore the Wildlife Garden is vital in providing a need for the local community. Unfortunately, lack of lighting meant that the area became secluded and attractive for anti-social behaviour on evenings.
The Normanby Community Forum are extremely pleased with the light installation, and grateful to the Dogger Bank Operator Fund for helping local communities’ complete projects such as this.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be located more than 130 km off the Yorkshire coast and will generate enough renewable energy to power six million UK homes. A joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni, SSE Renewables is leading on Dogger Bank construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion.
In June 2021, Dogger Bank Wind Farm unveiled plans for a £1 million construction fund to support the coastal communities where its onshore infrastructure is being developed. The programme includes a significant investment in science, technology, engineering and maths provision, university scholarships as well as an operators fund to support local causes.
In addition to enhancing local communities, students across South Tyneside, Redcar and Cleveland and East Riding of Yorkshire can apply for a scholarship of £5000 to help with the cost of further education qualifications while studying STEM subjects.
The Dogger Bank Scholarship Programme will reopen to new applicants in Summer 2023. Further details and how to apply next year can be found at https://doggerbank.com/about/community/.
Community projects and local organisations can apply for grants up to the new amount of up to £1000, at https://doggerbank.com/about/community/.
The groups to receive awards in the latest round and how they used their grants:
East Riding:
- Two Riding Foundation – To support COVID-19 community responses.
- Beeford Bowling Club – To purchase a new storage shed.
- Long Riston Playing Fields – To re-develop a children’s playpark.
- Rickaby Village Hall Committee – To purchase new kitchen equipment.
- Men in Sheds Beverley – To improve the safety of a men’s shed.
- Beverley FM – To provide work experience placements.
- Cherry Tree Community Centre – To provide recipe bags to local residents.
- Kilham School PTFA – To build an outside STEM learning area.
- Nature Tots – To purchase equipment for an outdoor play group.
- The Wombles of Beverley – To purchase litter picking equipment.
- Woodmansey School PTFA – To purchase sports equipment.
- Beeford Playing Fields Association – To replace vandalised pavilion doors.
- Skipsea Village Hall – To improve a playing field.
- Beeford Lawn Tennis Club – To purchase new tennis balls and support the upkeep of 6 courts.
- Humberside Scouts – To develop the outside area at the activity centre.
- Hornsea Town Walking Football – To purchase a portable defibrillator.
- Woodmansey Parish Council – To run a community event to commemorate the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
- Woodmansey Parish Council – To fund a defibrillator.
- 1st Beverley St Nicholas Scout Group – To purchase new outdoor equipment.
- Skirlaugh Bulls Youth Rugby League Club – To purchase new football kits.
- Blackburn Leisure Bowls Club – To purchase new equipment for a youth bowls programme.
South Tyneside and Redcar and Cleveland
- County Durham Community Foundation – To support COVID-19 community responses.
- Radio Shields NE Ltd CIC – To support community broadcasting.
- Bede’s Helping Hands Food Bank – To set up a job search club.
- Kayaks – To support a special needs children’s club.
- Bliss Ability – To run a community support group for people with depression.
- Hedworthfield Community Association – To purchase outside seating.
- Williby Rocs CIC – To host a community wellbeing day.
- Action Station – To support volunteer costs.
- Auxelia Youth Services CIC – To run a youth volunteer project.
- Marske Sports and Recreation Partnership – To create a kitchenette.
- South Shields Cricket Club – To support the new girls cricket team to receive a coaching session at Lords Cricket Ground.
- South Tyneside Harton & Westoe Juniors Royals – To purchase new sports equipment.
- Markse Community Partnership – To provide a winter community event.
- Normanby Community Forum – To upkeep a community garden.
- South Shields Triathlon – To expand the provision of go-tri events.
- Tyneside Ignite CIC – To train cheerleading coaches.
- Open Doors – To run a weekly lunch club
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Picture caption: Hornsea Town Walking Football Club committee members.
11th October 2022 in Community News, Press releases
A mechanical engineering student from Middlesbrough College who received a Dogger Bank Wind Farm scholarship earlier this year has had a behind-the-scenes tour of the project’s onshore works near Redcar.
Anthony Bell, who is studying for a Higher National Diploma (HND), was given an exclusive insight into the onshore works for the world’s largest offshore wind farm when he visited the convertor station construction site.
The Redcar student is keen to pursue his interest in renewable energy and was recently awarded a Dogger Bank Wind Farm scholarship to support his engineering studies. He hopes to visit the site again when the mechanical and electrical works have started.
Anthony said:
“It was a great experience to see how the Dogger Bank project is coming alive. I plan on using all of my visits, experiences and knowledge for my dissertation next year. Thank you to Chris and the team for a phenomenal day and making me feel so welcome. It has certainly inspired me.”
Chris O’Donnell, Site Manager for DBC Onshore Converter Station, said:
“Anthony was a pleasure to meet. He was friendly, polite, attentive, and interested in what we showed him on-site, which included the HVDC/AC cable routes and the OCS platform Works.
It’s great to share our journey with one of our Dogger Bank Wind Farm scholars and bring the project to life for the next generation of industry experts.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being built in the North Sea more than 130km from the Yorkshire coast in three phases known as Dogger Bank A, B and C. Dogger Bank A and B phases will connect to the national grid near Beverley in East Riding of Yorkshire, while Dogger Bank C will connect to the grid near Redcar, in Teesside.
The world-class renewable energy project, which will be capable of powering 6 million UK homes annually on completion, is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni Plenitude (20%).
Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s Scholarship Fund provides grants of £5,000 to 50 local students undertaking science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) courses in further education.
The scholarship fund focuses on the areas of East Riding of Yorkshire, and Redcar and Cleveland, where the windfarm connects to the National Grid, as well as South Tyneside, where the Operation and Maintenance Base will be located.
Students are reminded the scheme will reopen to new applicants in Summer 2023. Further details and how to apply next year can be found at https://doggerbank.com/about/community/.
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Picture caption: Chris O’Donnell and Anthony Bell
23rd September 2022 in Community News, Press releases, Project news
Whitby Lobster Hatchery has announced that two offshore wind farms will increase and extend their support to help the charity officially open its doors for the first time and continue its work to create a sustainable future for the Yorkshire coast and the local Whitby area.
Both Dogger Bank C and Sofia offshore wind farms will provide funds to the charity to help with the installation of the sophisticated hatchery equipment at its Whitby Fish Market site, which will be used to enable the of release of 100,000 juvenile lobsters into the ocean each year.
Sofia Offshore Wind Farm is 100% owned by RWE and Dogger Bank C, the third phase in the wider Dogger Bank Wind Farm, is owned by SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni Plenitude (20%). The projects are cooperating closely due to their proximity and to reduce impacts on local stakeholders, including the fishing community.
The Hatchery’s small but knowledgeable team works closely with the local fishing industry on its three aims of conservation, primarily of increasing local lobster populations; education to teach young and old about the marine environment, and promoting research in partnership with local universities. Its objectives align closely with those of both the wind farm projects and their owners.
Whitby Lobster Hatchery General Manager, Joe Redfern said:
“In what has been a concerning past few months for the North East coast, with extremely low lobster numbers and wash-ups on beaches, the hatchery hopes to be part of the solution releasing juvenile lobster into impacted areas.
“This funding, and the earlier support provided by both the Sofia and Dogger Bank projects has been hugely influential in helping us deliver our ambitions for the Whitby Lobster Hatchery. It has allowed us to continue to make great steps of progress with the hatchery installation.. Everyone at the hatchery project is extremely grateful for the support we have received from Sofia and Dogger Bank, and we look forward to collaborating in the future. “
The two separate wind farm projects are sited on Dogger Bank in the middle of the North Sea, more than 190 kilometres from the north-east coast of England. The power they produce will be transmitted by export cables that arrive on shore between Redcar and Marske-by-the-Sea, on Teesside.
Elizabeth Reynolds, Fisheries Liaison Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said:
“The charity has made huge strides since we initially lent our support, and we’re delighted to be able to help them reach new milestones along with neighbouring Sofia.”
“The project will undoubtedly bring huge educational, tourism and conservation benefits to Whitby and its surrounding communities, as well as helping the local fishing industry and supporting a more sustainable future in line with our own ambitions as a developer of renewable energy infrastructure.”
Carol Cooper, Sofia’s Fisheries Liaison Manager said:
“Sofia is proud to support the charity and acknowledge the great work that Joe and others have done to progress the Hatchery, which will give tangible benefits not only to the local fisheries industry, but to the wider community as well.
“By increasing awareness of the marine environment and importance of conservation, the hatchery will become a focal point in Whitby, benefitting the generations to come”.
As well as helping with the hatchery equipment, the support from the two offshore wind farms will be a catalyst for Whitby Lobster Hatchery to deliver its conservation aims of releasing 100,000 juvenile lobsters into the ocean every year. By rearing lobster larvae in the hatchery, the charity will dramatically boost the lobsters’ chance of survival. The conservation charity has high ambitions to ensure the protection and conservation of lobster populations in the region and help ensure the future of our fishing fleets.
They also hope to inspire young people on the importance of looking after their local environment and create an institute for important marine and fisheries research. The facility will provide an excellent opportunity for jobs and training. Recently they have taken their first intern from Teesside University as well as providing amazing experiences for volunteers. Check out their website if you would like to get involved.
Construction work at its fish market location in Whitby has now started, with the specialist designed lobster hatchery due to be open in October. Later this year work will begin to establish a visitors’ centre adjoining the hatchery. The Marine Discovery Centre will provide insight into the fishing industry, our native marine wildlife, and the importance of conservation projects such as the Whitby Lobster Hatchery.
For further information: www.whitbylobsterhatchery.co.uk
22nd August 2022 in Community News, Press releases
- The scholarship fund will support students undertaking courses focussed on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) courses, to help young people prepare for working life in a net zero world.
- The programme is open to students in South Tyneside, Redcar and Cleveland and East Riding of Yorkshire.
- 62 scholarships are available during the construction of the wind farm, for students in these communities studying science, technology, engineering and maths subjects to support the cost of further education.
Students from coastal communities in the north and north-east of England are reminded that a new scholarship fund closes for applications in less than two weeks. Students can apply for a new scholarship fund to prepare them for working life in a net zero world.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s Scholarship Fund provides grants of £5,000 to local students undertaking science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) courses in further education, with a total of 62 scholarships being awarded during the world’s largest wind farm’s construction phase.
The scholarship fund focuses on the areas of East Riding of Yorkshire, and Redcar and Cleveland, where the windfarm connects to the National Grid, as well as South Tyneside, where the Operation and Maintenance Base will be located.
The second round of the scholarship fund has proven very popular with lots of applications already received but students are reminded they only have until 1 September 2022 to apply for the second round of support. Further details and how to apply can be found at https://doggerbank.com/about/community/.
Steve Wilson, Project Director from Dogger Bank Wind Farm said
“Our scholarship fund has proven very popular with local students and we are delighted with the quality of applications we have already received but we remind local students the second round will close next month. We look forward to supporting and inspiring the workforce of the future as we continue our work to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be located more than 130 km off the Yorkshire coast and will generate enough renewable energy to power six million UK homes. A joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni Plenitude, SSE Renewables is leading on Dogger Bank construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion.
In June 2021, Dogger Bank Wind Farm unveiled plans for a £1 million construction fund to support the coastal communities where its onshore infrastructure is being developed. The programme includes a significant investment in science, technology, engineering and maths, as well as an operators fund to support local causes. Further information is available at www.doggerbank.com/about/community/
Further details on the scholarship fund and the community investment from the wind farm can be found here.
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Picture caption: The scholarship fund will support students studying science, technology, engineering, and maths, to help prepare them for the highly skilled jobs in a net zero world.
