29th November 2022 in Events, Operations, Press releases, Supply Chain
Dogger Bank Wind Farm today welcomes 80 supply chain representatives to an innovation workshop, focusing on robotics in offshore wind operations and maintenance.
The event, held at the National Innovation Centre for Data in Newcastle, is being delivered by business development organisation NOF, which specialises in the UK energy sector. Bringing together representatives from the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, North East England’s offshore wind cluster Energi Coast, the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership and the Dogger Bank operations team, the event aims to identify new technologies and suppliers that can help improve operational efficiencies on this flagship project and across the industry.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has taken an innovative approach to operations and maintenance of an offshore wind farm, using the latest technology available to ensure safety and reliability in operating the wind farm, which will begin generating power in 2023. Digitalisation and the usage of emerging technology, such as high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables and an unmanned offshore substation, an industry-first, are core tenets of the development of Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
Mark Halliday, Operations Director for Dogger Bank said: “We are delighted to be hosting so many local suppliers today in North East England. We are committed to providing opportunities to businesses throughout the operational phase of the wind farm and we see robotics as an area that can support development of a competitive UK supply chain. There is also a great opportunity to transfer technologies from other industries and the event is designed to help suppliers enter offshore wind from adjacent sectors such as oil & gas and automotive, which are already strengths of the region.”
In addition to offshore wind sector partners, the event will also include representatives from Dogger Bank Tier 1 suppliers for the operations phase including North Star Renewables and GE. The operations team will have a focus on inspection, maintenance and repair using robotics both above and below the seabed as well as to improve safety and operational efficiencies. There will also be a focus on key components including turbine blade inspection.
Tony Quinn, Energi Coast chair said: “Events like this one really bring home the value of having Equinor and their JV partners embedded in our region as well as one of the world’s largest windfarms on our virtual doorstep. For technology developers to have such ready access to ‘end users’ significantly reduces their time and cost of bringing new and innovative products to market.
Technology which helps to further our understanding of offshore wind, through remote inspection, condition monitoring or indeed maintenance will ultimately drive improved reliability and improved safety by removing the need for manual intervention.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located more than 130km off the north-east coast of England and is being delivered by joint venture partners SSE Renewables, Equinor and Vårgrønn. SSE Renewables is leading on construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion. Dogger Bank is being built in three consecutive 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C. In total the wind farm is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to supply 5% of the UK’s demand, equivalent to powering six million homes.
22nd November 2022 in Community News, Operations, Press releases, Supply Chain
Dogger Bank Wind Farm today welcomed 80 local supply chain representatives to the Port of Tyne, the home of the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) base for what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm upon completion.
Delivered by business development organisation, NOF, which specialises in the UK energy sector, the event aims to showcase the Port of Tyne as a green energy destination and centre for innovation across many industries from logistics and automotive to leisure and renewables, located at the heart of North East England.
Tom Nightingale, North East Stakeholder Manager for Dogger Bank said: “We are delighted to be hosting so many local suppliers today with our partners Port of Tyne. We are committed to providing local opportunities to businesses throughout the operational phase of the wind farm for its expected lifetime of 35 years. Over 50% of the O&M base build spend was with local companies and we hope to maintain this philosophy into our operations, providing long-term opportunities to the energy supply chain and the local business community.”
The Dogger Bank Wind Farm operations team will also provide a project update and highlight future opportunities for the supply chain, before providing a tour of the new state-of-the-art O&M base, which has been constructed and will be operated in line with the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework.
Matt Beeton, CEO of Port of Tyne said: “Today’s event is a great opportunity to mobilise the region’s skills and supply chain for the fantastic green opportunities on the horizon. The clean energy cluster we’re creating at the Port of Tyne together with the Dogger Bank JV partners will help repurpose today’s skills to take advantage of tomorrow’s opportunities. Through sustained investment in upgraded infrastructure, we’re determined to ensure that our green energy port provides the perfect development platform as the UK accelerates its path to a cleaner and greener future.”
The Dogger Bank Wind Farm project team has previously worked with NOF to deliver a series of ‘Meet the Buyer’ events to help prepare the supply chain for opportunities to get involved, by connecting Tier 1 suppliers with the local and UK supply chains. The project is proud to be working with a number of local suppliers following these activities, including South Tyneside based Metec UK. Key equipment for Dogger Bank has also been tested at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Test Centre in Blyth, including blades and nacelles for GE’s Haliade-X Turbine.
Joanne Leng MBE, Chief Executive of NOF, said: “NOF is proud to be supporting Dogger Bank Wind Farm with these O&M tours. Not only does it present an opportunity to showcase the base at the Port of Tyne but allows supply chain businesses and key stakeholders to see first hand what an amazing facility this is and how it will be a long term opportunity for the local business community.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located more than 130km off the north-east coast of England and is being delivered by joint venture partners SSE Renewables, Equinor and Vårgrønn. SSE Renewables is leading on construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion. Dogger Bank is being built in three consecutive 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C. In total the wind farm is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to supply 5% of the UK’s demand, equivalent to powering six million homes.
More about Dogger Bank:
The Dogger Bank O&M Base was constructed at the Port of Tyne, with construction completed in Q4 2022. The project is the UK’s first HVDC connected wind farm and will feature the world’s first unmanned HVDC offshore platforms. North Star Renewables has been contracted to provide four Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) to the project.
One rotation of GE’s Haliade-X turbine can power a UK household for two days. 277 units of the 13MW and 14MW turbines will be used on Dogger Bank.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%).
If you would like to register your interest as a potential supplier to Dogger Bank Wind Farm, please go to https://doggerbank.com/supply-chain/supplier-registration/
9th March 2022 in Community News, Operations, Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
Construction of the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) base for Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the Port of Tyne has positively impacted the region’s economy with over £7.5 million re-invested throughout North-East England.
In line with the project objectives, Bowmer + Kirkland, principal contractor for the O&M base construction, are actively engaging local supply chain partners and throughout the duration of the scheme, a key focus has been placed on procuring goods and services locally.
To date, over £4.4million has been spent within the South Tyneside Local Authority area with supply chain partners, including South Tyneside based Castle Building Services Limited and Thompsons of Prudhoe Limited benefitting from the project. Numerous other sub-contractors from across the region including Newcastle based Chemplas Limited and Durham based Wyn Construction Limited have also been engaged on the project’s further £3.1million local spend.
Liz Wilson, B+K Project Manager for the Dogger Bank O&M base construction, said:
“Each project that B+K deliver provides an opportunity for us to significantly benefit the communities in which we operate. As a contractor with offices located in the North-East, we are committed to supporting regional growth by providing opportunities for local supply chain partners to engage with projects such as the Dogger Bank operations and maintenance base.”
The project, which is located at the Port of Tyne, has provided opportunities for a number of local companies including those classified as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), which account for 89% of the supply chain. Packages equating to 95% of the construction cost to date, have been awarded to MSME’s.
Mark Halliday, Dogger Bank Operations Director, said:
“We are extremely proud to be working with so many local businesses for the construction of our operations and maintenance base. We will continue to bring more North-East expertise into the project as we move into the O&M phase in order for the local community to benefit from this world leading project.”
The project commenced in September 2021 and as the project progresses, and further work packages are made available, B+K will continue to engage with supply chain partners who are based in close proximity to the project with the aim of increasing the high level of regional investment already generated by the project. The project previously announced that the base will be constructed and operated in line with the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located more than 130km off the North-East coast of England and is being delivered by joint venture partners SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni. SSE Renewables is leading on construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion. 370 jobs have so far been created associated with the long-term operations of the wind farm from the Port of Tyne. In total, over 3,000 jobs have now been created or supported through the project.
Dogger Bank will be world’s largest offshore wind farm upon completion in 2026. Due to its size and scale, Dogger Bank is being built in three consecutive 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C. In total the wind farm is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to supply 5% of the UK’s demand, equivalent to powering six million homes.
19th January 2022 in Operations, Press releases, Supply Chain
Dogger Bank Wind Farm today announces a series of supply chain events throughout 2022, aimed at showcasing opportunities during the operations and maintenance phase of the wind farm. The events will focus on key themes that will also help to develop the future supply chain and workforce for offshore wind in the region, including innovation and skills.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located more than 130km off the north-east coast of England and is being delivered by joint venture partners SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni. SSE Renewables is leading on construction and delivery while Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion. Due to its size and scale, Dogger Bank is being built in three consecutive 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C. In total the wind farm is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to supply 5% of the UK’s demand, equivalent to powering six million homes.
The Dogger Bank team will work with north-east based business development organisation NOF to deliver the events. They will take place throughout the year and include both online and in person activities, as follows:
- Introductory Webinar – Online (Zoom). 17th February.
- Meet the Buyers Event – Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield, Co. Durham, TS21 2EH. 12th April.
- Skills Webinar – Online (Zoom). 19th May.
- Business Dinner (invite only) – Ramside Hall Hotel, Carrville, Co. Durham, DH1 1TD. 09th June.
- Innovation Workshop – Newcastle Helix, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5TG. 20th September.
- Operations & Maintenance Tour – Port of Tyne. 22nd November.
For further information and to register for the events when they are published, please visit https://www.nof.co.uk/
Mark Halliday, Dogger Bank Operations Director said: “We are delighted to be continuing our work with NOF to connect the wider supply chain with our Tier 1 suppliers and provide awareness of the opportunities available during the operations and maintenance phase of the wind farm. Dogger Bank will be operational for 35 years and we will rely on the supply chain to provide key products and services, bring new technologies and innovations to the project and help develop the workforce of the future. We look forward to engaging with the industry and providing opportunities to be part of the world’s largest offshore wind farm.”
The construction phase of the project is underway and the team previously worked with NOF to deliver a series of ‘meet the buyer’ events to help prepare the supply chain for opportunities to get involved, by connecting Tier 1 suppliers with the local and UK supply chains. The project is proud to be working with a number of local suppliers following these activities, including South Tyneside based Metec UK and Darlington based Tekmar Energy. Dogger Bank is also the anchor project for LM Wind Power’s investment in a new blade manufacturing facility on Teesside. To date, more than 3,000 UK roles have been created or supported in relation to the construction and operation of Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
Joanne Leng MBE, Chief Executive of NOF, said: “The UK, and in particular, north-east England has a world-class offshore wind supply chain, which can apply its extensive experience and technology-led solutions to support the operations and maintenance phase of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm. This landmark renewables project will also present opportunities for companies yet to join the energy transition, which can diversify their skills, products and services into the offshore wind market.
“We are exceptionally proud to continue our partnership with Dogger Bank Wind Farm with this series of events, which will help build long-term and collaborative relationships between the wind farm operations team and supply chain companies, delivering mutual benefits and ensuring this region continues to make a positive contribution to net zero.”
More about Dogger Bank:
The Dogger Bank O&M Base is being constructed at the Port of Tyne and is due to be completed in Q4 2022. The project is the UK’s first HVDC connected wind farm and will feature the world’s first unmanned HVDC offshore platforms. North Star Renewables has been contracted to provide four Service Operation Vessel’s to the project.
One rotation of GE’s Haliade-X turbine can power a UK household for two days. 277 units of the 13MW and 14MW turbines will be used on Dogger Bank.
Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%). In November 2021 SSE Renewables and Equinor, 50:50 joint venture partners in Dogger Bank C, announced Eni will take a 20% stake in the final phase, with SSE Renewables and Equinor maintaining 40% stakes each, in a deal that is expected to complete in Q1 2022 subject to regulatory approvals.
If you would like to register your interest as a potential supplier to Dogger Bank Wind Farm, please go to https://doggerbank.com/supply-chain/supplier-registration/
9th December 2021 in Operations, Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
North Star Group has been awarded a service operations vessel (SOV) contract to support the third phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, with the creation of 40 more UK-based jobs.
The UK firm will deliver an additional ship boasting its new hybrid-powered renewables fleet design to support offshore wind technicians working in the field.
This will be the fourth SOV and associated daughter craft the business has been contracted to build and operate by the project, making North Star the exclusive service vessel operator for the world’s largest wind farm for at least the next decade.
In March, the firm won the initial contract for Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B following a competitive tender for the design and delivery of three SOVs.
Each of the four Dogger Bank SOVs have been contracted on a 10-year agreement, with three additional one-year options.
Around 40 new full-time positions in crewing and onshore-based job will be created locally, in addition to the 130 announced previously to support the first three SOVs. Recruitment is already underway, underpinning the company’s commitment to supporting communities in the UK.
The company, which employs around 1,400 personnel out of its facilities in Aberdeen, Newcastle and its Boston Putford division in Lowestoft, has unrivalled marine expertise in the North Sea. The business, which has been operating for 135 years, has the largest wholly owned UK fleet and currently supports more than 50 installations with its existing purpose-built tonnage.
North Star’s new SOVs are high performance, sustainable vessels capable of supporting net-zero goals and utilising fuels of the future. They provide comfortable, floating-hotel style accommodation to offshore wind turbine technicians and a centralised logistics hub to travel to and from work each day across a “walk-to-work” gangway, or transfer via a smaller daughter craft vessel. The SOVs are also configured to handle cargo and act as a warehouse.
North Star CEO, Matthew Gordon said:
“Securing the final SOV contract required for the Dogger Bank Wind Farm development for the next decade is an honour, and testament to the hard work and dedication of the team at North Star and our talented technology partners. We are fully committed to supporting the local supply chain and communities in the UK where possible and are actively recruiting around 170 personnel from across the country to support this complete vessel package.
“We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Equinor, SSE Renewables and Eni for their enthusiasm and confidence in our SOV service, which significantly shifts the dial on sustainability, comfort, safety and workability These hybrid-powered vessels are futureproofed for tomorrow’s zero-carbon emission marine fuels and the superior home-from-home living space will provide the offshore wind technicians exceptional respite from the often-harsh North Sea environment.
“The Dogger Bank C award has put us in an even stronger market position to deliver further value to our shareholders as we continue with our strategic ambitions to secure additional projects in the UK offshore renewables market and beyond.”
Due to its size and scale, Dogger Bank is being built in three consecutive 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C. In total the wind farm is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to supply 5% of the UK’s demand, equivalent to powering six million homes.
Rune Rønvik, Project Manager for Dogger Bank, said:
“With the final SOV also being delivered by North Star we will have the same ship owner across all three phases which means we will continue the constructive cooperation we have started and develop the operational synergies further.
“As we have seen from North Star’s initial contract award, securing big orders can really help UK businesses enter the offshore wind market, secure investment and create jobs, and we at Dogger Bank are proud to have played a role in enabling this UK company take advantage of the global opportunity presented by offshore wind.”
ENDS
