Latest news : Press releases

Dogger Bank Wind Farm announces Eni as partner for phase C

2nd November 2021 in Press releases, Project news

  • Eni to take 20% stake in the third phase of world’s largest offshore wind farm.
  • Combined value of equity consideration is GBP £140m or GBP £70m to both SSE Renewables and Equinor for each 10% stake.
  • SSE Renewables and Equinor each to maintain 40% stakes in Dogger Bank C.
  • SSE Renewables to continue to lead construction of the project.
  • Equinor retains responsibility as lead operator for wind farm’s operational life.

SSE Renewables and Equinor have today confirmed that Eni, already a partner on the first two phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, will also join as a partner in the third phase of the world-leading offshore wind farm project.

Located over 130km off the north-east coast of England, Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being built in three 1.2GW phases and will be the largest offshore wind farm in the world when operational, with an overall capacity of 3.6GW.

The 1.2GW third phase of Dogger Bank won a CfD in the 2019 auction and is currently jointly owned 50/50 by SSE Renewables and Equinor. Dogger Bank C is being developed on a different timescale to the first two phases, Dogger Bank A and B, which are being constructed at the same time.

Today’s transaction will see SSE Renewables and Equinor each selling a 10% stake in Dogger Bank C to Eni, resulting in Eni taking a 20% equity stake in the third phase of the world’s largest offshore wind farm. The combined value of the equity consideration is GBP £140m, or GBP £70m to both SSE Renewables and Equinor for each 10% stake. Both SSE Renewables and Equinor will each maintain 40% stakes in Dogger Bank C upon completion.

The transaction is expected to complete in Q1 2022 subject to Dogger Bank C reaching Financial Close, on track by the end of 2021, and to regulatory approvals and customary purchase price adjustments.

Today’s stake sale announcement to Eni follows a similar announcement last year that SSE Renewables and Equinor had sold a 20% stake in Dogger Bank A and B of to Eni (10% each by SSE Renewables and Equinor) in a deal that completed in February 2021. Upon completion of the Dogger Bank C transaction being announced today, the new overall shareholding in the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%).

Extended partner alignment across all three phases of the project will enable further synergies across both the construction and operations phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm.

SSE Renewables will continue to lead the development and construction of the overall wind farm, with Equinor retaining responsibility for operation for the wind farm’s life of around 35 years.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director, Steve Wilson, said:

“We are delighted to now have Eni on board as an industrial partner for all three phases of the project. This further strengthens the partnership between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni to deliver the world’s largest offshore wind farm. We are on track to reach financial close on Dogger Bank C by the end of the calendar year and progressing to programme with the onshore civil works on Teesside.”

Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be constructed over 130km out to sea off the north-east coast of England, where wind speeds are higher and more consistent than near to the shore. The ground-breaking project is breaking world records and pioneering new technology in its delivery. It will be the first project to use the largest commercially available turbine operating in the world today, the 14MW GE Haliade-X and due to its distance from shore, the first UK High Voltage Direct Current connected wind farm.

Onshore construction began in 2020 and is currently underway for Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, with offshore construction on Dogger Bank A due to begin in Q2 2022. First power is expected in Summer 2023 and Summer 2024 for Dogger Bank A and B, respectively, with commercial operations to follow around 6 months later. Turbine installation for Dogger Bank C will begin in 2025.

Almost 3000 new UK jobs have been announced so far that will be supported by the construction and operation of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. These include up to 750 direct and around 1,500 indirect jobs associated with the set-up of a new world-class blade manufacturing facility on Teesside by LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business, with production due to start in 2023.

Once the three phases are complete, which is expected by March 2026, Dogger Bank will be the largest offshore wind farm in the world. Each phase of Dogger Bank will be able to produce 6TWh of renewable electricity, totalling 18TWh annually across all three phases – that’s enough renewable electricity to supply 5% of the UK’s demand and equivalent to powering six million UK homes.

Read the SSE Renewables press release here.

Read the Equinor press release here.

Read the Eni press release here.

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For further information:

Media contact – Dogger Bank Wind Farm:

Jason Cooke, SSE Renewables

jason.cooke@sse.com

+353 (0) 86 264 6710

 

 

SSE urges public to sign their names on the world’s largest offshore wind farm in COP26 call to action

6th October 2021 in Press releases, Project news, Uncategorised

GE Haliade X turbine
  • 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.

UK shipbuilder Alicat chosen to build Dogger Bank daughter craft fleet

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.”

 

Aberdeen’s North Star Renewables to design and deliver service vessel fleet for Dogger Bank Wind Farm

17th March 2021 in Press releasesProject newsSupply 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

 

World’s largest offshore wind farm announces appointment of Operations Director and Operations Leader

28th September 2021 in Operations, Press releases, Project news

Dogger Bank Wind Farm is pleased to announce appointments of two senior positions that will play a crucial role in keeping operations running at the world’s biggest offshore wind farm.

Mark Halliday has joined Equinor as Operations Director for the project and will be responsible for overall operations across the three phases of the wind farm. Mark has a long history and track record in the renewable energy industry including project and operational roles in both onshore and offshore wind.

Mark joins the project from EDF Renewables where he was Offshore Operations Manager and worked most recently on the NnG project in Scotland. Whilst at EDF Renewables, Mark also played a key role in delivering Teesside Offshore Wind Farm and Blyth Offshore Wind Farm Demonstrator projects, both in North East England.

Mark Halliday joins Equinor as Operations Director for Dogger Bank

Mark said: “I am delighted to join the Dogger Bank team and lead the operations phase of this pioneering project. That the world’s largest offshore wind farm is being built off the coast of North East England is a fantastic opportunity for the area and being from the region it’s great to see South Shields has been selected as the location for the O&M base. It’s a proud moment for me to take on this prestigious role and help build up local capabilities in offshore wind.”

Felicity Wann has been appointed as Dogger Bank Operations Leader, responsible for the engineers managing the day-to-day operations of the 3.6GW wind farm. Felicity has a strong background in offshore operations having worked at Equinor for around seven years in roles across health and safety, emergency response and services and logistics at the company’s Mariner Field, off the Aberdeen Coast.

Felicity Wann has transferred from a role at Equinor’s Mariner Field to be Operations Leader at Dogger Bank

Felicity said: “It’s a real honour to be part of such an important project, and I’m excited to get started. Securing this role demonstrates that skills and expertise gained from working in oil and gas can be transferred across to roles in the renewables industry, a really important message to convey as we will need thousands of people to deliver on the Government’s net zero and renewables targets. My parents are from South Shields so it’s great to be returning to an area I know well and I look forward to building up a strong team here to deliver a world-class project.”

Halfdan Brustad, Vice President for Dogger Bank at Equinor, said: “These are exciting positions which present the opportunity to shape the strategic operational direction for Dogger Bank and define sector-leading performance at the world’s largest wind farm. We want Dogger Bank to be a flagship digitalisation project, pioneering best in class across the sector and we are delighted to have both Mark and Felicity onboard to achieve this.”

Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be located over 130km from the North East coast of England, and will be able to generate around 5% of the UK’s electricity needs. The wind farm is being constructed by SSE Renewables in three 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A, B and C, and will be operated by Equinor from a new, sustainable base to be constructed at the Port of Tyne.

Onshore construction is well underway and offshore construction is due to begin in 2022.  Whilst operations won’t commence until 2023, Dogger Bank Wind Farm has brought in these key operational roles from an early stage to work closely with the Prepare for Operations team and ensure the right people, procedures and processes are in place to deliver a project of this size.

Over 200 people will be directly employed on the project, with roles ranging from offshore technicians to engineers, planners and warehouse staff. Recruitment of some roles has begun however most roles will be open for application from 2022. These jobs will be advertised on the Dogger Bank Wind Farm website as well as Equinor’s careers pages and social media.

Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40 per cent), Equinor (40 per cent) and Eni (20 per cent). Dogger Bank C is a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm and UK sub-supplier support school health event

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.