18th December 2020 in Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
Dogger Bank Wind Farm and GE Renewable Energy have today confirmed GE as preferred turbine supplier for Dogger Bank C, announcing at the same time plans to pioneer the upscaled 14MW Haliade-X turbine for this phase.
The 14MW Haliade-X is an upscaled version of the 13MW Haliade-X, the most powerful turbine in operation today, and installation at Dogger Bank C will mark the first time these turbines will be installed at any project world-wide.
The Turbine Supply Agreement and Service and Warranty Agreements for Dogger Bank C will be finalised in the first quarter of 2021, confirming the order and number of turbines and marking continued progress in the delivery of the third phase of the wind farm. These agreements will be subject to Dogger Bank C, which is a joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor, reaching Financial Close in late 2021.
Installation of the turbines for Dogger Bank C is set to begin in 2025 ahead of completion of the overall project in 2026.
At 3.6GW Dogger Bank will be the largest wind farm in the world, capable of generating enough renewable power to provide around 5% of the UK’s electricity demand. It is being built in three 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A, B and C.
GE is now confirmed as supplying Haliade-X turbine technology to all three phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm including a record-breaking order for 190 units of GE’s 13MW Haliade-X for phases A and B.
Steve Wilson, Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s Project Director at SSE Renewables, said: “We’re delighted to be working with GE Renewable Energy on all three phases of our development, as the first wind farm in the world to install their innovative and record-breaking Haliade-X turbine technology. Together with GE we are continuing to lead the way on innovation in the offshore wind industry and we’re proud that Dogger Bank will now use a 14MW turbine at Dogger Bank C alongside the 13MW turbine already confirmed for phases A and B.”
John Lavelle, President & CEO, Offshore Wind at GE Renewable Energy, said: “Dogger Bank C will use a 14MW version of the Haliade-X, the most powerful offshore wind turbine in operation today. In doing so, this unique project will both continue to build on the UK’s leadership in offshore wind and serve as a showcase for innovative technology that is helping to provide more clean, renewable energy.”
Halfdan Brustad, vice president for Dogger Bank at Equinor, said: “Once again, GE has demonstrated competitiveness with its ground-breaking Haliade-X, and we are delighted we will be working with them across all three phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Turbine innovation has played a huge role in bringing down the cost of offshore wind, and these world-leading turbines will help us deliver renewable electricity at the lowest cost possible for millions of people across the UK. With our partner SSE Renewables, we are pioneering new technology whilst delivering a project that will create hundreds of skilled jobs. As operator for the project, we look forward to working with the GE team for many years to come.”
Located over 130 km off the north east coast of England, each phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be able to produce 6TWh of renewable electricity, totalling 18TWh annually, equivalent to powering six million UK homes each year.
For further information:
Media contact – Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
Jason Cooke, SSE Renewables
jason.cooke@sse.com
+353 (0) 86 264 6710
Rachel Lawrence, SSE Renewables
rachel.lawrence@sse.com
+44 (0) 7385 368783
HALIADE-X 14 MW FIGURES
- 14 MW capacity
- 220-metre rotor
- 248 metres high
- 107-metre long blades
- 38,000 m2 swept area
IECRE Provisional RNA Component Certificate.
According to EPA Greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator
About Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
- Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm when completed in 2026.
- It is being built in three phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C.
- Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%). Dogger Bank C is a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor.
- SSE Renewables is lead operator for the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Equinor will be lead operator of the wind farm for the duration of the wind farm’s operational phase
- Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B was reached in November 2020. Financial Close for Dogger Bank C is expected in late 2021.
- Consent for Dogger Bank Wind Farm was granted in 2015.
- Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located in the North Sea, with each phase more than 130km from the Yorkshire Coast.
- 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.
- A total of 320 skilled jobs for the North East of England associated with the development and operation of Dogger Bank Wind Farm have been announced so far.
- This includes 120 skilled jobs at marshalling harbour Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool during construction, and 200 skilled jobs to be based offshore and at the Port of Tyne for Operations and Maintenance of the wind farm once operational.
- Dogger Bank A and B has confirmed GE’s 13MW Haliade-X as the turbine powering the first two phases of the project. As the first order for the 13MW Haliade-X, installation at Dogger Bank A will be the first time the turbine is installed in the world.
- Dogger Bank C will install GE’s upscaled 14MW Haliade-X turbine.
- One rotation of the Haliade-X turbine blades can power one UK home for more than two days.
- The wind turbines will be installed on monopile foundations.
- The project will be the first High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) connected wind farm in the UK due to its distance from shore.
About SSE Renewables
SSE Renewables is a leading developer, owner and operator of renewable energy across the UK and Ireland, with a portfolio of around 4GW of onshore wind, offshore wind and hydro. Part of the FTSE-listed SSE plc, its strategy is to drive the transition to a net zero future through the world class development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets.
SSE Renewables owns nearly 2GW of operational onshore wind capacity t. Its 1,459MW hydro portfolio includes 300MW of pumped storage and 750MW of flexible hydro. Its operational offshore wind portfolio consists of 487MW across two offshore joint venture sites, Beatrice and Greater Gabbard, both of which it operates on behalf of its asset partners.
SSE Renewables is aiming to treble its renewable energy output by 2030. In addition to Dogger Bank Wind Farm, SSE Renewables is currently leading the construction of the Seagreen 1 offshore wind farm (1,075MW, SSE Renewables share: 49%) and is developing the Berwick Bank and Marr Bank offshore wind farms (up to 4,150MW) in Scotland, North Falls (up to 504MW, SSE Renewables share: 50%) in England, and Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2 (520MW) in Ireland. Onshore it is constructing the Viking wind farm (443MW) in Shetland and Gordonbush Extension (38MW) and has a further 1GW of onshore wind in development.
SSE Renewables is a Principal Partner to the UK Government for COP26 UN climate summit taking place in Glasgow in November 2021.
About Equinor in the UK
Equinor has been operating in the UK for over 35 years. Headquartered in Norway, the company employs 22,000 people globally, and over 650 in the UK. As a broad energy company, Equinor is committed to long term value creation in a low carbon future, and targeting carbon neutral operations globally by 2030.
Equinor is the UK’s leading energy provider and supports the UK economy by investing billions in crucial energy infrastructure, working with over 700 suppliers across the country. Its energy supplies from Norway meet more than one quarter of the UK’s demand for natural gas and around one fifth of its demand for oil, both produced with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry. It operates the Mariner oil field, one of the largest and most digitally advanced offshore investments in the UK over the last decade, and is progressing Rosebank, the largest undeveloped field in the UK.
Both projects support hundreds of jobs and economic activity in Scotland. Equinor also operates two offshore wind farms off the East Coast of England, Dudgeon and Sheringham Shoal. It is a pioneer in floating wind technology with Hywind Scotland, the world’s first floating wind farm off the coast of Peterhead, which is partnered with Batwind, the world’s first battery for offshore wind. And with its partner SSE Renewables, Equinor is building the largest offshore wind farm in the world, Dogger Bank, off the North East coast of England. It is also a leader in both carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, and is developing a number of projects in Europe, including in the Humber and Teesside regions of North East England.
About GE Renewable Energy
GE Renewable Energy is a $15 billion business which combines one of the broadest portfolios in the renewable energy industry to provide end-to-end solutions for our customers demanding reliable and affordable green power. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts of clean renewable energy and equipped more than 90 percent of utilities worldwide with its grid solutions. With nearly 40,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy creates value for customers seeking to power the world with affordable, reliable and sustainable green electrons.
11th December 2020 in Press releases, Project news
The UK Prime Minister has today praised the team behind the Dogger Bank Wind Farm for the role it’s playing in bringing jobs and investment to the north of England, while driving a green economic recovery.
Located over 130 km off the north east coast of England, Dogger Bank Wind Farm is pioneering new technology.
It will be the first project to use the largest commercially available turbine in the world, GE Renewable Energy’s 13MW Haliade-X, and due to its distance from shore, the first UK High Voltage Direct Current connected wind farm.
In a visit to the ORE Catapult, in Blyth, Northumberland, the Prime Minister said Dogger Bank Wind Farm would bring high quality jobs and investment and drive economic recovery. With a focus on skills and opportunities for young people he said the site was central to the UK’s power future, generating jobs and growth for years to come.
When fully completed in 2026, each phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be able to produce 6TWh of renewable electricity, totalling 18TWh annually – enough to supply around 5% of the UK’s demand and equivalent to powering six million UK homes each year.
ORE Catapult’s world-leading facility is currently testing GE’s record-breaking turbine, ahead of its installation on Dogger Bank Wind Farm. SSE Renewables and Equinor will install 190 of the innovative turbines in the first two phases of the development.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director, Steve Wilson, said: “Dogger Bank Wind Farm demonstrates innovation and ambition never before seen in the offshore wind industry, using the world’s most powerful wind turbines in operation, GE’s 13MW Haliade-X. To have this recognised by the UK Prime Minister is a tremendous boost for our highly-skilled team, who’ve worked so hard during the pandemic to keep the project on track to supply more than 6 million UK homes from 2026.
“ORE Catapult’s Blyth testing facility is playing a critically important role in the development of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. The Prime Minister was visibly impressed with the expertise he encountered there, as well as the scale of GE’s giant turbine blades and nacelles.
“The Prime Minister clearly recognises the importance of our project in the green economic recovery of the UK, as we create the jobs that will boost the economy and the renewable energy that will significantly contribute to his net zero targets in our post-COVID world.”
Chief Executive of the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Andrew Jamieson, said “Through our collaboration with GE Renewable Energy and LM Wind Power, the Catapult’s world leading test and validation facilities in Blyth are pivotal to delivering Haliade-X, the world’s leading offshore wind turbine, to Dogger Bank Wind Farm. As importantly, they are also at the heart of an extensive programme of UK academic research and innovation, supporting the growth of the UK supply chain and SMEs delivering the vital technologies to meet our net zero commitments and fuel the green economic recovery.
“We’re really pleased to see SSE Renewables and Equinor taking a world leading role in delivering Dogger Bank Wind Farm and adopting the breakthrough technologies of GE’s Haliade-X”.
Olivier Fontan, CEO of LM Wind Power, which is part of GE Renewable Energy, said: “It was a pleasure to show the Prime Minister GE’s world-leading Haliade-X, the world’s largest offshore wind turbine in operation today. The perfect technology for the world’s largest offshore wind farm at Dogger Bank. A single sweep of the Haliade-X blades will be able to power the average UK household for more than two days. Testing a blade of this size and complexity, at the ORE Catapult in Blyth, is a tremendous technological achievement.”
About Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
- Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once complete.
- It is being built in three phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C.
- Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a Joint Venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor:
– When the transaction to sell a stake in the project to Eni completes in Q1 2021, the new shareholding in Dogger Bank A and B, will be SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%)
– Dogger Bank C remains a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor.
- SSE Renewables is lead operator for the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
- Equinor will be lead operator of the wind farm for the duration of the wind farm’s operational phase of up to 35 years
- Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B was reached in November 2020. Financial Close for Dogger Bank C is expected in late 2021.
- Consent was granted in 2015.
- Located in the North Sea, with each phase more than 130km from the Yorkshire Coast.
- Onshore construction began in 2020, and offshore construction will begin with turbine installation for Dogger Bank A in 2023
- The first phase, Dogger Bank A, is expected to be operational in 2023. The wind farm is expected to be fully operational in 2026.
- A total of 320 skilled jobs for the North East of England associated with the development and operation of Dogger Bank Wind Farm have been announced so far.
- This includes 120 skilled jobs at marshalling harbour Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool during construction, and 200 skilled jobs to be based offshore and at the Port of Tyne for Operations and Maintenance of the wind farm once operational.
- Dogger Bank A and B has confirmed GE’s 13MW Haliade-X as the turbine powering the first two phases of the project, representing the first-ever install of what is the world’s largest wind turbine.
- One rotation of the Haliade-X 13MW blades can power one UK home for more than two days.
- The wind turbines will be installed on monopile foundations.
- The project will be the first High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) connected wind farm in the UK due to its distance from shore.
4th December 2020 in Press releases, Project news
- Eni to take 20% stake in first two phases of world’s largest offshore wind farm.
- Combined value of equity consideration is GBP £405m or GBP £202.5m to both SSE Renewables and Equinor for each 10% stake.
- SSE Renewables and Equinor each to maintain 40% stakes in Dogger Bank A and B.
- SSE Renewables to continue to lead construction of the project.
- Equinor retains responsibility as lead operator for wind farm’s operational life.
04 December 2020: Dogger Bank Wind Farm owners SSE Renewables and Equinor have today confirmed Eni will join as a partner in the first two phases of the world’s biggest offshore wind farm.
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 first two phases, Dogger Bank A and B are being constructed at the same time while the third phase, Dogger Bank C, is being developed on a different timescale.
Subject to regulatory and lender approvals Eni will enter the joint venture with a 20% stake in Dogger Bank A and B, equivalent to 480MW across these two phases when the transaction is complete in early 2021. The combined value of the equity consideration is GBP £405m, subject to adjustments for interest on closing, or GBP £202.5m to both SSE Renewables and Equinor for each 10% stake.
There is no change to the ownership of the third phase, Dogger Bank C, in which SSE Renewables and Equinor each have a 50% stake.
Both SSE Renewables and Equinor will each retain 40% in Dogger Bank A and B, with SSE Renewables continuing to lead the development and construction of the overall wind farm, and 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 and our existing partner Equinor look forward to welcoming Eni into our strong partnership. With all Tier One contracts finalised, and a record £5.5 billion project financing announced last week, everything is now in place to deliver on the first two phases of this world-leading project. The high level of interest we received from companies wanting to be part of the project demonstrates both the strength of the business case and the progress we’ve already made on the road to building the world’s largest offshore wind farm. We warmly welcome Eni to the Dogger Bank team and look forward to working with them on our ground-breaking venture.”
Claudio Descalzi, Chief Executive Officer of Eni, said: “For Eni, entering the offshore wind market in Northern Europe is a great opportunity to gain further skills in the sector thanks to the collaboration with two of the industry’s leading companies, and to make a substantial contribution to the 2025 target of 5GW of installed capacity from renewables, an intermediate step towards the more ambitious target of zero net direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions in Europe by 2050.”
Investment in the first two phases of the project has already secured the creation of 320 new skilled jobs for the North East of England associated with the development and operation of the wind farm, with more to come as construction ramps up.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the first project to use the largest commercially available turbines in the world, the 13MW GE Haliade-X. When fully completed in 2026, each phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be able to produce 6TWh of renewable electricity, totalling 18TWh annually – enough to supply 5% of the UK’s demand and equivalent to powering six million UK homes each year*.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm was awarded exclusive development rights for fifty years in 2010 by The Crown Estate as part of its third seabed licensing round. The project secured planning consent in 2015.
Onshore construction is currently underway for Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, with offshore construction for Dogger Bank A due to begin in Q2 2022. For both phases, onshore and offshore cable and all turbine foundations will be installed by 2023. First power is expected in Summer 2023 and Summer 2024 for Dogger Bank A and B, respectively, with commercial operations to begin the following year.
For more about Dogger Bank Wind Farm, visit www.doggerbank.com.
Ends
Picture caption: Dogger Bank Wind Farm owners SSE Renewables and Equinor have confirmed Eni will join as a partner in the first two phases of the world’s biggest offshore wind farm. Picture source: GE Renewable Energy.
*6 million UK homes powered per annum based on Typical Domestic Consumption Values (Medium Electricity Profile Class 1, 2,900kWh per household; OFGEM, January 2020) and projected total generation output of 18TWh by 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
For further information:
Media contact – Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
Jason Cooke, SSE Renewables
jason.cooke@sse.com
+353 (0) 86 264 6710
Rachel Lawrence, SSE Renewables
rachel.lawrence@sse.com
+44 (0) 7385 368783
Media contact – Eni:
Eni Press Office: Tel. +39 02 52031875 / +39 06 59822030
About Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once complete.
It is being built in three phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C.
When the transaction with Eni completes in Q1 2021, the new shareholding in Dogger Bank A and B, will be SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%).
Dogger Bank C remains a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor.
SSE Renewables is lead operator for the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Equinor will be lead operator of the wind farm for the duration of the wind farm’s operational phase.
Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B was reached in November 2020. Financial Close for Dogger Bank C is expected in late 2021.
Consent was granted in 2015.
Located in the North Sea, with each phase more than 130km from the Yorkshire Coast.
Onshore construction began in 2020, and offshore construction will begin with turbine installation for Dogger Bank A in 2023
The first phase, Dogger Bank A, is expected to be operational in 2023. The wind farm is expected to be fully operational in 2026.
A total of 320 skilled jobs for the North East of England associated with the development and operation of Dogger Bank Wind Farm have been announced so far.
This includes 120 skilled jobs at marshalling harbour Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool during construction, and 200 skilled jobs to be based offshore and at the Port of Tyne for Operations and Maintenance of the wind farm once operational.
Dogger Bank A and B has confirmed GE’s 13MW Haliade-X as the turbine powering the first two phases of the project, representing the first-ever install of what is the world’s largest wind turbine.
One rotation of the Haliade-X 13MW blades can power one UK home for more than two days.
The wind turbines will be installed on monopile foundations.
The project will be the first High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) connected wind farm in the UK due to its distance from shore.
About SSE Renewables
SSE Renewables is a leading developer, owner and operator of renewable energy across the UK and Ireland, with a portfolio of around 4GW of onshore wind, offshore wind and hydro. Part of the FTSE-listed SSE plc, its strategy is to drive the transition to a net zero future through the world class development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets.
SSE Renewables owns nearly 2GW of operational onshore wind capacity. Its 1,459MW hydro portfolio includes 300MW of pumped storage and 750MW of flexible hydro. Its operational offshore wind portfolio consists of 487MW across two offshore joint venture sites, Beatrice and Greater Gabbard, both of which it operates on behalf of its asset partners.
SSE Renewables is aiming to treble its renewable energy output by 2030. In addition to Dogger Bank Wind Farm, SSE Renewables is currently leading the construction of the Seagreen 1 offshore wind farm (1,075MW, SSE Renewables share: 49%) and is developing the Berwick Bank and Marr Bank offshore wind farms (up to 4,150MW) in Scotland, North Falls (up to 504MW, SSE Renewables share: 50%) in England, and Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2 (520MW) in Ireland. Onshore it is constructing the Viking wind farm (443MW) in Shetland and Gordonbush Extension (38MW) and has a further 1GW of onshore wind in development.
SSE Renewables is a Principal Partner to the UK Government for COP26 UN climate summit taking place in Glasgow in November 2021.
About Equinor in the UK
Equinor has been operating in the UK for over 35 years. Headquartered in Norway, the company employs 22,000 people globally, and over 650 in the UK. As a broad energy company, Equinor is committed to long term value creation in a low carbon future, and targeting carbon neutral operations globally by 2030.
Equinor is the UK’s leading energy provider and supports the UK economy by investing billions in crucial energy infrastructure, working with over 700 suppliers across the country. Its energy supplies from Norway meet more than one quarter of the UK’s demand for natural gas and around one fifth of its demand for oil, both produced with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry. It operates the Mariner oil field, one of the largest and most digitally advanced offshore investments in the UK over the last decade, and is progressing Rosebank, the largest undeveloped field in the UK. Both projects support hundreds of jobs and economic activity in Scotland.
Equinor also operates two offshore wind farms off the East Coast of England, Dudgeon and Sheringham Shoal. It is a pioneer in floating wind technology with Hywind Scotland, the world’s first floating wind farm off the coast of Peterhead, which is partnered with Batwind, the world’s first battery for offshore wind. And with its partner SSE Renewables, Equinor is building the largest offshore wind farm in the world, Dogger Bank, off the North East coast of England. It is also a leader in both carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, and is developing a number of projects in Europe, including in the Humber and Teesside regions of North East England.
About Eni
Eni is an energy company operating in 66 countries worldwide and employing around 32,000 people. The company operates in oil and gas exploration, development and production, refining and marketing, trading and shipping, chemical, renewable energies and innovative solutions in circular economy. Eni’s mission is inspired by the UN 2030 Agenda and these values are reflected in its business model, itself based on three pillars of long-term carbon neutrality, operational excellence and the creation of alliances for local development.
The new Eni is based on efficiency, integration and the deployment of new technologies. Decarbonisation is structurally embedded in our overall strategy and ambitions and in Sustainalytics’ last update as of September 2020, Eni has achieved an ESG Risk Rating score of 25.7, ranking in the top 3% amongst its peers in the Energy Sector.
Eni has set the next intermediate target for renewables in 2035, when the company will generate 25 GW of installed capacity from renewable sources.
Eni is active in the UK as operator of the Liverpool Bay Area project in NW England, for which it was recently awarded a CO2 appraisal and storage licence by the Oil and Gas Authority.
Eni, together with BP, Equinor, National Grid, Shell and Total, has formed the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), with BP as operator. The partnership aims to develop offshore CO2 transport and storage infrastructure that will serve the two decarbonisation projects of the industrial clusters of NE England: Net Zero Teesside (of Which Eni is partner, and Zero Carbon Humber.
The two projects plan the combined capture and storage of climate-changing emissions from industrial sites and power plants, and the development of market for low emission hydrogen production (blue hydrogen).
UK authority consider this kind of project vital to support the Country’s effort to cut by 50% industrial emissions by 2030, while at the same time providing new jobs for the local communities.
26th November 2020 in Press releases, Project news
- Largest offshore wind project financing to date globally for world’s largest offshore wind farm.
- Landmark £5.5bn financing deal for UK offshore wind farm delivered by final group of lenders comprising 29 banks and three export credit agencies.
- Project partners SSE Renewables and Equinor leading UK green recovery with 320 skilled jobs for North East of England already announced.
- When fully complete in 2026, Dogger Bank Wind Farm will produce enough renewable electricity to supply 5% of UK demand and power six million homes each year.
26 November 2020: Dogger Bank Wind Farm owners, SSE Renewables and Equinor, have today announced financial close on the first two phases of the project, representing in aggregate the largest offshore wind project financing to date globally.
With a capacity of 3.6GW, Dogger Bank will be the largest offshore wind farm in the world when operational.
The project is being built in three 1.2GW phases, with the first two phases being constructed at the same time to maximise the synergies resulting from their geographical proximity and make use of common technology and contractors. As such, the two phases are being financed concurrently with all lenders participating in each phase in equal proportions.
The third phase, Dogger Bank C, is being developed on a different timescale with financial close to follow at a later stage.
With the strong interests from lenders, Dogger Bank A and B were able to secure competitive terms, despite unprecedented economic circumstances arising from the global coronavirus pandemic. The final group of lenders, comprising 29 banks and three export credit agencies, includes the most experienced lenders in the sector along with many relationship lenders of both SSE Renewables and Equinor. e level of interest achieved reflects the high quality of the project and enables strong returns on shareholder capital to be delivered.
Dogger Bank A and B will each require total capital expenditure of around GBP3bn, including offshore transmission capex of around £800m per phase. Investment in the first two phases of the project has already secured the creation of 320 new skilled jobs for the North East of England associated with the development and operation of the wind farm, with more to come as construction ramps up.
The total senior debt facilities across the two phases is GBP4.8bn, plus ancillary facilities of around GBP0.7bn. Dogger Bank A and B are being project financed with gearing of between 65% and 70% for the generation assets. Gearing on the transmission facilities is set at 90% of the forecast OFTO sale proceeds.
Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE Chief Executive, said: “We are proud to be leading on the construction and development of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which has been 10 years in the making. We are putting our money where our mouth is on delivering net zero and reinforcing the UK’s position as a world leader. This investment will help drive a green recovery from coronavirus through the project’s construction over the next five years, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.
“Achieving financial close for the first two phases of the world’s largest wind farm is a huge accomplishment and, alongside reaching Seagreen 1 financial close earlier this year, represents significant progress towards achieving our goal of trebling our renewable output by 2030.”
Pål Eitrheim, Equinor EVP of New Energy Solutions, said: “Reaching financial close on the two first phases of Dogger Bank is a major milestone, demonstrating our commitment to profitable growth within offshore wind. The extensive interest from lenders, underpins the attractiveness of UK offshore wind assets and confidence in SSE and Equinor. As the wind farm’s future operator, we are proud to take this big step forward in delivering what will be the backbone of a growing wind hub in the North Sea. Through the sheer scale of the project we have delivered record-low contract prices for the UK market, and as operator of the wind farm we will continue to deliver value to the UK for years to come.”
Located over 130 km off the north east coast of England, Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the first project to use the largest commercially available turbine in the world, the 13MW GE Haliade-X. When fully completed in 2026, each phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be able to produce 6TWh of renewable electricity, totalling 18TWh annually – enough to supply 5% of the UK’s demand and equivalent to powering six million UK homes each year*.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm was awarded exclusive development rights for fifty years in 2010 by The Crown Estate as part of its third seabed licensing round. The project secured planning consent in 2015. In September 2019, Dogger Bank Wind Farm secured the following 15-year contracts with the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) through the UK Government’s Contract for Difference (CfD) auction:
- Dogger Bank A (1,200MW) with a strike price of £39.65/MWh (in 2012 prices, CPI-indexed) for delivery in 2023/24.
- Dogger Bank B and C (1,200MW each) with strike prices of £41.61/MWh (in 2012 prices, CPI-indexed) for delivery in 2024/25.
Onshore construction is currently underway for Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, with offshore construction for Dogger Bank A due to begin in Q2 2022. For both phases, onshore and offshore cable and all turbine foundations will be installed by 2023. First power is expected in Summer 2023 and Summer 2024 for Dogger Bank A and B, respectively, with commercial operations to begin the following year.
Ends
Picture caption: SSE Renewables and Equinor, the joint venture partners co-developing the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the North Sea, have announced financial close on the first two phases of the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Picture source: GE Renewable Energy.
Notes to editors:
- The final group of lenders comprises 29 banks including:
Hedge Execution Banks:
- Lloyds Bank
- NatWest
- Societe Generale
- Santander
Documentation Bank
Intercreditor Agent and Security Trustee
ECA Agent and ECA Facilities Agent
Account Bank
- Export Credit Agencies are:
- Bpifrance Assurance Export
- EKN, The Swedish Export Credit Agency
- GIEK, The Norwegian Export Credit Guarantee Agency
- Dogger Bank Wind Farm was advised by:
- Borrower’s Legal Advisors: Linklaters
- Lenders’ Legal Advisors: Norton Rose Fulbright
- Financial Advisors: BNP Paribas
- Market Advisors: Baringa
- Technical Advisors: K2 Management
*6 million UK homes powered per annum based on Typical Domestic Consumption Values (Medium Electricity Profile Class 1, 2,900kWh per household; OFGEM, January 2020) and projected total generation output of 18TWh by 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
For further information:
Media contact – Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
Jason Cooke, SSE Renewables
jason.cooke@sse.com
+353 (0) 86 264 6710
Rachel Lawrence, SSE Renewables
rachel.lawrence@sse.com
+44 (0) 7385 368783
About Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
- Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once complete.
- It is a 50:50 joint venture between Equinor and SSE Renewables.
- SSE Renewables is lead operator for the development and construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Equinor will be lead operator of the wind farm for the duration of the wind farm’s operational phase
- Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B was reached in November 2020. Financial Close for Dogger Bank C is expected in late 2021.
- Consent was granted in 2015.
- Located in the North Sea, with each phase more than 130km from the Yorkshire Coast.
- Onshore construction began in 2020, and offshore construction will begin with turbine installation for Dogger Bank A in 2023
- The first phase, Dogger Bank A, is expected to be operational in 2023. The overall wind farm is expected to be completed in 2026.
- A total of 320 skilled jobs for the North East of England associated with the development and operation of Dogger Bank Wind Farm have been announced so far.
- This includes 120 skilled jobs at marshalling harbour Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool during construction, and 200 skilled jobs to be based offshore and at the Port of Tyne for Operations and Maintenance of the wind farm once operational.
- Dogger Bank A and B has confirmed GE’s 13MW Haliade-X as the turbine powering the first two phases of the project. As the first order for the 13MW Haliade-X, installation at Dogger Bank A will be the first time the turbine is installed in the world.
- One rotation of the Haliade-X 13MW blades can power one UK home for more than two days.
- The wind turbines will be installed on monopile foundations.
- The project will be the first High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) connected wind farm in the UK due to its distance from shore.
About SSE Renewables
SSE Renewables is a leading developer, owner and operator of renewable energy across the UK and Ireland, with a portfolio of around 4GW of onshore wind, offshore wind and hydro. Part of the FTSE-listed SSE plc, its strategy is to drive the transition to a net zero future through the world class development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets.
SSE Renewables owns nearly 2GW of operational onshore wind capacity with over 1GW under development. Its 1,459MW hydro portfolio includes 300MW of pumped storage and 750MW of flexible hydro. Its operational offshore wind portfolio consists of 487MW across two offshore joint venture sites, Beatrice and Greater Gabbard, both of which it operates on behalf of its asset partners.
SSE Renewables has the largest offshore wind development pipeline in the UK and Ireland at over 6GW, of which around 3GW is in construction or consented. It is currently constructing the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the North Sea, a joint venture with Equinor. It also building Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm, the 1.1GW Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm in the Firth of Forth, which is a joint venture with Total.
SSE Renewables is a Principal Partner to the UK Government in the run up to and during the COP26 UN climate summit in November 2021.
About Equinor in the UK
Equinor has been operating in the UK for over 35 years. Headquartered in Norway, the company employs 22,000 people globally, and over 650 in the UK. As a broad energy company, Equinor is committed to long term value creation in a low carbon future, and targeting carbon neutral operations globally by 2030.
Equinor is the UK’s leading energy provider and supports the UK economy by investing billions in crucial energy infrastructure, working with over 700 suppliers across the country. Its energy supplies from Norway meet more than one quarter of the UK’s demand for natural gas and around one fifth of its demand for oil, both produced with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry. It operates the Mariner oil field, one of the largest and most digitally advanced offshore investments in the UK over the last decade, and is progressing Rosebank, the largest undeveloped field in the UK.
Both projects support hundreds of jobs and economic activity in Scotland. Equinor also operates two offshore wind farms off the East Coast of England, Dudgeon and Sheringham Shoal. It is a pioneer in floating wind technology with Hywind Scotland, the world’s first floating wind farm off the coast of Peterhead, which is partnered with Batwind, the world’s first battery for offshore wind. And with its partner SSE Renewables, Equinor is building the largest offshore wind farm in the world, Dogger Bank, off the North East coast of England. It is also a leader in both carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, and is developing a number of projects in Europe, including in the Humber and Teesside regions of North East England.
24th November 2020 in Press releases, Project news
Since Jones Bros was awarded the contract in early 2020 to carry out onshore civil works and cable installation for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, the North Wales-based engineering specialist has taken on 20 new staff to work on the project – including two higher level apprentices.
Max Stoddart (20), told us what it means to him to go from studying a social sciences degree, to becoming a trainee civil engineer on the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
“I left school and went to university for a year studying something that wasn’t really related to the construction industry, in social sciences, and decided it wasn’t really for me. I wanted to move into something a bit more practical like construction. I’ve always learned better like that and enjoyed hands-on work, so I got talking to a few people and looked online.
“I was fortunate to be taken on by Jones Bros just over a year ago and I now go to college in Wrexham, North Wales for several months, and then come back to this site for a few months until I get my HND.
“A typical day for me on site includes the monitoring of trenching operations and electrical duct installation works in preparation of the installation of the electrical cabling which is due to be carried out later in the year. We have to make sure that ducting is being installed as per the design continually checking our line and levels, as an error at this stage could cause an issue later in the project.
“I spend most of my time on site, and it’s great being out on site with the team – especially in good weather.
“The renewable industry is obviously progressing constantly. This is the first site I’ve been on and it’s the biggest offshore wind farm in the world. To come into a project as significant as this straight away is the ideal job for me.
“I’d definitely recommend the industry to others thinking about a career like this, especially when I consider how much I’ve developed since being on site. You really do see how you make a difference in the world.
“Wind farms are going to power our homes for years to come and I think as I get older, working on this site will be something I’ll always remember.
“This opportunity to train and study a professional qualification is exactly what I was looking for.”
