27th June 2024 in Community News, Operations
- The fund will be used to enhance science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) education for young people during the planned 35-year operational lifespan of the wind farm, equipping them with the skills to succeed in a net zero world.
- The £25 million investment will be built on the £1 million community fund already invested in the North and North-East of England during the construction phase of the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
- The fund represents one of the largest community investments in offshore wind in the UK.
- The project has already created or supported over 2,000 jobs in the UK, contributing to 100,000+ UK offshore wind jobs needed to meet current national targets.
- The investment includes growing the current scholarship programme, with 30 scholarships a year for students studying STEM subjects
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has today announced additional funding of £25 million to support coastal communities across the North and North East of England over its planned 35-year operational lifespan.
This commitment includes funding projects that enhance STEM education to help young people gain the skills and knowledge required to fulfill their potential in a net zero world. This announcement takes place during Wind Energy Week 2024 which showcases the industry’s achievements and discusses what is needed to accelerate large-scale growth.
Set to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once complete, Dogger Bank is situated over 130km from the Yorkshire coast and will produce enough renewable energy to supply electricity to six million homes in the UK annually. The wind farm, a joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor, and Vårgrønn, produced first power in October 2023.
The new community fund builds on the £1 million community fund set up during the construction phase of Dogger Bank, which has already supported more than 36,000 young people across 204 schools, provided 62 university scholarships, and provided 87 grants to local community groups.
In addition to the Dogger Bank community funds, 50% of the wind farm’s rental payments to the Crown Estate will support the Coastal Communities Fund, a UK Government-funded initiative to support the economic growth of coastal areas. Under the current arrangement the funds received by the Coastal Communities Fund will equate to 1% of the wind farm’s gross revenue, which could amount to tens of millions of pounds being invested in coastal communities during the operation of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Dogger Bank Wind Farm has also been a strong supporter of the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP), playing a key role in advancing the offshore wind industry in the UK.
RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail said:
“Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s commitment to provide a further £25 million to local communities in East Yorkshire and the North East of England shows that the offshore wind industry can provide significant economic benefits to coastal areas where renewable energy comes ashore and where our operation and maintenance centres are based. This funding will provide a boost to school pupils, university students and community groups, creating opportunities for new careers as well as getting much-needed community facilities built. Our industry is transforming the lives of people in coastal communities around the UK, and this is a great example of how this partnership works in action”.
Dogger Bank’s community fund will continue to focus over the next 3 years on the key communities of East Riding of Yorkshire and Redcar & Cleveland where the renewable energy from the wind farm comes ashore, and South Tyneside, which is home to the wind farm’s operation and maintenance base. Once the project is fully commissioned, the community fund will continue to invest in each community, with an emphasis on the South Tyneside area, where the wind farm has a long-term presence.
Mark Halliday, Dogger Bank Operations Director, said:
“Through the operations community fund, we continue to aim to empower and uplift communities by investing in projects that make a lasting impact. We are particularly excited to support the levelling up agenda by working with schools in the North and North East of England, where I personally grew up, by providing opportunities for STEM education. By fostering a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, we hope to equip the next generation with the skills they need to be a part of a sustainable future.”
The operational fund will continue to focus on developing local skills and raising young people’s aspirations, to meet local priorities identified in consultation with the local education authorities in each key community. The programme builds on recommendations made in an independent report by ekosgen, which described Dogger Bank Wind Farm as a market leader for its commitment to evaluating outcomes and areas for improvements in its community investment programme. The operational fund will be reviewed periodically in collaboration with local educational experts to ensure it meets the needs of local communities.
In addition to this, the operational fund will provide an increased number of 30 scholarships per year, providing funding towards the cost of further education for local university students studying STEM subjects. The fund will also continue to support community projects and local organisations with grants of up to £1,000. Local organisations can now submit their applications through the Dogger Bank website.
Oliver Cass, Dogger Bank Project Director, said:
“It’s been our great privilege during the last three years to work with education providers and local communities to kickstart a programme of investment that is bringing long-term benefits for communities.
“It is vitally important that developers work in partnership with local communities in order to sustainably deliver the critical green energy infrastructure that will shape our future.”
You can find out more information about the Dogger Bank scholarships, community grants, and the community fund impact report below.
Dogger Bank scholarships: https://doggerbank.com/about/community/
Dogger Bank community grants: https://doggerbank.com/about/community/
Dogger Bank community fund report: https://doggerbank.com/community-news/dogger-bank-described-as-market-leader-by-community-investment-report-author/
Further information from:
Harry Chadwick, Communications Officer, Equinor
M: 07561 852215 / hach@equinor.com
** Photos and B-roll footage **:
See Dropbox links below to photos and B-roll footage for coverage:
Image 1: Renewable energy learning activity funded by the Dogger Bank community fund at Hornsea Nursery in East Riding of Yorkshire (Credit: Dogger Bank Wind Farm)
Image 2: Renewable energy learning activity funded by the Dogger Bank community fund at Hornsea Nursery in East Riding of Yorkshire (Credit: Dogger Bank Wind Farm)
Video 1: B-roll footage from learning activity at Hornsea Nursery (Credit: Dogger Bank Wind Farm)
Video 2: B-roll footage from learning activity at Hornsea Nursery (Credit: Dogger Bank Wind Farm)
** Please credit: Dogger Bank Wind Farm **
1st February 2024 in Construction, Operations, Project news
North Star’s third hybrid-propulsion service operation vessel (SOV), the Grampian Tees, was named this week at an event held at the Port of Aberdeen, ahead of an early delivery to the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
Jane Cunningham, PA to SSE’s Director of Capital Projects and the Dogger Bank Project Director, was named as the Godmother to the Grampian Tees; and Jessica Grant, the daughter of Mark Grant, Dogger Bank Head of Procurement and Commercial at SSE Renewables, was named as the Goddaughter of the Susan Auld daughter craft vessel. Together, they successfully performed the traditional good luck celebration by smashing a champagne bottle on the vessel after a blessing from one of the Aberdeen Seafarer’s Centre Port Chaplins.
The Grampian Tees reflects North Star’s Scottish heritage and the famous river in the North-East of England, where she will initially support the construction and commissioning of the wind farm from, before moving to support Operations, based out of the flagship O&M Base in the Port of Tyne. The daughter craft’s name honours Susan Auld (10th January 1915 – 9 March 2002), who was a pioneering naval architect from Tynemouth, North East England, and the first women to graduate as a naval architect from Durham University.
The Grampian Tees vessel belongs to the VARD 4 12 design and is one of four that will be used for at least ten years to support operations and maintenance at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which located more than 130km off the coast of Yorkshire in the North Sea. The vessel joins the Grampian Tyne and Grampian Derwent vessels, which were both delivered ahead of schedule to the wind farm in 2023.
The vessel design offers high-quality living quarters for technicians servicing the offshore wind turbines including a gym, along with a centralised logistics center capable of handling cargo and functioning as a warehouse for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is set to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once complete.
In 2021, Dogger Bank Wind Farm awarded North Star Renewables with contracts to deliver four state-of-the-art SOVs to the project, creating 170 UK jobs based in crewing and shore-based roles.
9th November 2023 in Operations, Press releases
- Three new apprentices join Dogger Bank Wind Farm
- Apprenticeship training for future wind farm turbine technicians started for the first time
- Represents a contribution to skills training and technical education in the UK offshore wind industry
Three new apprentices have started their training with Dogger Bank Wind Farm, based from the operations and maintenance base in South Tyneside, North East England. The apprentices are starting their training in a variety of roles, including electrical engineering and warehouse logistics.
Over the next two years, the three apprentices will be fully immersed in the operations, maintenance, and logistics of the wind farm, all while gaining the skills required for a career in the renewables sector. Each will also gain a professional qualification in their respective field.
Two apprentices will learn the skills needed to maintain the giant 260 meter tall turbines featured on the wind farm, which are located in the North Sea, more than 130km from the North East coastline, gaining a L3 MOET qualification and a foundation degree in engineering. This will include high voltage training, addressing a future skill gap and enabling the apprentices to support the first UK High Voltage Direct Current connected offshore wind farm at Dogger Bank.
Bridie Gallagher, 18, has started an apprenticeship in electrical engineering, where she will gain knowledge of the operations and maintenance of offshore wind turbines. She said “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to learn and work in the renewable energy industry, right from my hometown in South Shields. Being part of the team working on the largest offshore wind farm in the world is incredibly exciting.”
Another new starter, Jamie Edwards, age 18, started an apprenticeship in wind operations maintenance and logistics, where he will be a part of the team responsible for supplying essential components to the wind farm. He said “I was drawn to the idea of pursuing an apprenticeship because I wanted a hands-on learning experience, making this opportunity perfect for me. I am eager to begin working alongside the team and pursuing my qualifications.”
Over 2,000 jobs have been created or supported so far in the UK in relation to the construction and operation of the wind farm, including400 long-term roles created in association with the wind farm’s operations base in South Shields, England.
Mark Halliday, Operations Director at Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said: “Apprenticeships will play a crucial role in the long-term success and operation of our wind farm”
“We are committed to providing early career development opportunities. Apprenticeships offer a mutually beneficial pathway for both us and the apprentices, as they gain specialised skills and competencies that enhance their career prospects. By investing in apprenticeships, we also benefit from having highly skilled and motivated employees who can work on the Dogger Bank Wind Farm across its planned 35-year lifespan.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is proud to be supporting and developing talent within the industry. For more information about opportunities at Dogger Bank can be found here: https://doggerbank.com/recruitment/
26th October 2023 in Operations, Project news, Supply Chain
The second of North Star’s new offshore wind fleet, the Grampian Derwent, has been delivered ahead of schedule to the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
The vessel was named at a ceremony at the Dogger Bank Operations and Maintenance Base at the Port of Tyne in the South Shields, England, where Sophie Banham and Emma Simpson, successfully performed the good luck ritual of smashing a champagne bottle against the ship’s hull during the traditional celebration.
Sophie Banham, who was first involved in the Dogger Bank Wind Farm in 2008, has been chosen as the ship’s godmother. Emma Simpson, daughter of Euan Simpson, Dogger Bank Marine Supervisor, has been named the goddaughter of the Alison Kay daughter craft vessel, which will be permanently stationed on the Grampian Derwent.
The name of the daughter craft honours Alison Kay, who established The People’s Kitchen in Newcastle upon Tyne as a means of providing food and hope to individuals who are homeless and sleeping on the streets of the city.
The vessel belongs to the VARD 4 12-design and is one of four that will be used for at least ten years to support operations and maintenance at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, located 130km off the coast of Yorkshire in the North Sea. The vessel joins the Grampian Tyne vessel, which was delivered to the wind farm in June 2023.
The design provides high-quality accommodation to offshore wind turbine technicians, as well as a centralised logistics hub configured to handle cargo and act as a functioning warehouse offshore for Dogger Bank, which will become the largest offshore wind farm upon completion.
13th October 2023 in Operations, Project news, Supply Chain
Certex UK’s Great Yarmouth based Engineering Services Division has won a major framework to supply statutory inspection and maintenance services on Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
The contract covers inspection and maintenance of cranes, personnel lifts, general lifting, and safety equipment across all the wind turbines and balance of plant.
Terry Hoenes, Renewables Divisional Manager, Certex UK said: “We have a long-established history working with Equinor on the Greater Wash windfarms off East Anglia and are delighted to have been awarded the 5-year framework. Our hard work over the years providing a strong service and the work put in to produce a competitive tender have paid off and we look forward to starting work on the GE platform wind turbine, the first of its kind in the UK”.
Certex UK Engineering Services Division is part of the Lifting Solutions Group of 22 companies with over 100 locations worldwide, with the renewable energy sector largely being served to date from the UK, Taiwan, and Denmark. However, a newly launched global renewables division incorporates additional companies in Germany, Spain, France, China, and the United States, which has recently pivoted towards wind energy.
Ian Shaw, Engineering Services Divisional Manager, said:
“This is another great step forward for our Engineering Services Division, and working closely with Equinor, gives us the opportunity to introduce more new starters to the industry through our mentorship and training programmes. Equinor has always been an excellent ambassador for development of new starters which helps us to grow a sustainable skilled workforce.” Shaw added “The wider renewables industry growth is continually accelerating, and we need to ensure the supply chain and pool of skilled workers are available, to play our part in this we have developed a route to career programme covering the entry level GWO safety training at our newly accredited facility in Doncaster and the technical inspection training at our site in Great Yarmouth. We have also recently started working with ex forces resettlement agencies and look forward to introducing many more new people to a career in wind”.
