13th May 2025 in Project news
- The Crown Estate Capacity Increase Programme will unlock 4.7GW of additional UK capacity including up to 2GW from Dogger Bank D.
- Dogger Bank D is the proposed fourth phase to increase the size of the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
- Project development maximises capacity from the eastern part of the Dogger Bank C seabed lease area to make the world’s biggest offshore wind farm even bigger.
- SSE and Equinor each own 50% of the proposed Dogger Bank D development.
SSE and Equinor, developers of the proposed Dogger Bank D offshore wind farm, welcome the decision by The Crown Estate to proceed with its Capacity Increase Programme to maximise the potential of existing offshore wind lease areas in the UK.
The decision, which has been agreed by the UK Secretary of State for Energy & Net Zero, allows for the ongoing progression of the up to 2GW Dogger Bank D project, a proposed fourth phase of the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm currently in construction in the North Sea.
The Crown Estate’s Capacity Increase Programme was first announced in November 2023. The programme allows for the existing seabed rights agreements of seven fixed-bottom offshore windfarms located around England and Wales to be amended, subject to agreement of terms with The Crown Estate, to unlock 4.7GW of increased available capacity for new green electricity production.
These include the existing seabed lease area agreement for Dogger Bank C, the third phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. By amending this lease in agreement with The Crown Estate, SSE and Equinor can maximise the capacity of the eastern portion of the Dogger Bank C seabed lease area to unlock potential capacity of up to 2GW of new renewable energy at what would be Dogger Bank D, for the UK energy system.
Paul Cooley, Director of Offshore Wind, SSE Renewables said:
“This decision marks a further milestone in the progression of SSE’s offshore wind pipeline off the coast of England in the UK North Sea. The addition of Dogger Bank D would make our existing 3.6GW Dogger Bank project, the world’s biggest offshore wind farm currently being built off the UK, even bigger.
“Working with our joint venture partner, we now look forward to engaging closely with The Crown Estate on the next steps to agree the progression of Dogger Bank D, while also progressing the project to secure a new Development Consent Order. If delivered Dogger Bank D can play a vital contribution towards the UK’s clean power targets from offshore wind.”
Melissa Read, Head of Regional Development UK, Equinor said:
“This innovative approach allows us to unlock further value and volume from the Dogger Bank seabed, whilst protecting the marine environment.
“Dogger Bank D would allow for more renewable energy, which is key to meet the UK Government’s offshore wind and net zero ambitions and further progress the UK’s energy transition.”
The decision to proceed with the Capacity Increase Programme follows the conclusion of a plan-Level Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) by The Crown Estate to assess the effects of the capacity increase on protected habitats. Under the decision the capacity increase will proceed based on a derogation, with compensation measures to address identified impacts on marine habitats and species.
The proposed Dogger Bank D project was first announced in 2023. In July 2024, SSE and Equinor established commercial terms with The Crown Estate around an amendment to the existing Dogger Bank C seabed lease, subject to the outcome of the plan-Level HRA.
The Dogger Bank D project would connect to the national electricity infrastructure network at National Grid’s planned new 400kV substation at Birkhill Wood in East Riding of Yorkshire.
A non-statutory community consultation on the project took place in autumn 2024, with a statutory consultation due to take place in summer 2025.
The delivery of Dogger Bank D is subject to a new Development Consent Order as well as a final investment decision by the 50:50 joint venture partners SSE Renewables and Equinor.
The existing 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%). The project was awarded rights in The Crown Estate’s Offshore Wind Leasing Round 3 and is currently under construction in three 1.2GW phases: A, B and C.
11th April 2025 in Project news
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has submitted a request to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to amend the wording in its Development Consent Order, to allow for phases A and B of the project to progress separately through the OFTO sales process. As part of this application and in line with the Planning Act 2008, we have now opened a formal period of consultation with stakeholders on the proposed wording amendments.
Further details of this process are available in the Reg 6 notice below:
SECTION 153 OF THE PLANNING ACT 2008 REGULATION 6 OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (CHANGES TO, AND REVOCATION OF, DEVELOPEMNT CONSENT ORDERS) REGULATIONS 2011 NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO MAKE A NON-MATERIAL CHANGE TO THE FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER: THE DOGGER BANK CREYKE BECK OFFSHORE WIND FARM ORDER 2015 (AS AMENDED) (S.I. 2015/318)
REF: EN010021
- An application has been made by Doggerbank Offshore Wind Farm Project 1 Projco Limited (“Projco 1”) and Doggerbank Offshore Wind Farm Project 2 Projco Limited (“Projco 2”) (together the “Applicant”) to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to make a non-material change (“NMC”) to the above mentioned Development Consent Order (the “DCO”) (ref: EN010021).
- The DCO granted development consent to Doggerbank Project 1 Bizco Limited (“Bizco 1”) for “Project A” and Doggerbank Project 4 Bizco Limited (“Bizco 4”) for “Project B” – two offshore wind turbine generating stations each comprising up to 200 wind turbine generators and associated development in the Dogger Bank Zone and the East Riding of Yorkshire. Bizco 1 was renamed at Companies House as Projco 1, and Project A was renamed Dogger Bank A (herein “DBA”). Bizco 4 was renamed at Companies House as Projco 2 and Project B was renamed Dogger Bank B (herein “DBB”).
- The application seeks to make non-material changes to the drafting of the DCO by amending the wording of certain definitions, articles and paragraphs of schedules to allow DBA and DBB to be considered separately, and for the discharge and enforcement of each project’s relevant requirements to be distinct from the other project.
- The contact details of the Applicant are:
Doggerbank Offshore Wind Farm Project 1 Projco Limited and Doggerbank Offshore Wind Farm Project 2 Projco Limited at No. 1 Forbury Place 43 Forbury Road, Reading, United Kingdom, RG1 3JH.
5. Email contact is possible by contacting:
DoggerBankConsentsConsultations@sse.com.
6. The application documents and details of the changes proposed by this NMC Application are available for inspection, free of charge, at the “Documents” tab on the National Infrastructure Planning Portal’s Dogger Bank Creyke Beck page here: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010021
7. For general enquiries on how to obtain any of the documents or on the information contained within them, please contact the Applicant (DoggerBankConsentsConsultations@sse.com).
8. A free digital copy of the application documents can also be obtained from the Applicant using the contact details provided above. This will be available until the deadline for responses set out below closes. Alternatively, a paper copy can be obtained from the Applicant for a charge of £300.
9. Please send any representations about the application by email to the Planning Inspectorate at:
DBCreykeBeck@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
or in writing to:
Major Applications & Plans, The Planning Inspectorate, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN.
Please quote ‘Dogger Bank Creyke Beck’ on any correspondence. Any representations received by the Secretary of State in response to the consultation will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s Infrastructure Planning Portal (https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/) with all personal information removed.
10. The deadline for receipt of representations is 23:59 on 23 May 2025.
Doggerbank Offshore Wind Farm Project 1 Projco Limited and Doggerbank Offshore Wind Farm Project 2 Projco Limited
11th April 2025 in Construction, Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has signed a contract with Seaway7, part of the Subsea7 Group, to charter a second turbine installation vessel to support the ongoing delivery of the offshore wind farm off the coast of England.
This contract signing follows on from the earlier reservation agreement between Dogger Bank Wind Farm and Seaway7, announced in December 2024.
Under the contract, the Seaway Ventus jack-up installation vessel will commence turbine transport and installation work of GE Vernova Haliade-X offshore wind turbines at the Dogger Bank site in mid-2026.
This contract represents additional work for Seaway7 at the Dogger Bank development where the company already has the contracts for transport and installation of the monopile foundations and transition pieces on all three phases of the project, with the works on Dogger Bank A complete and the works on Dogger Bank B substantially complete.
Turbine installation and commissioning work is continuing at Dogger Bank A, with completion of the first phase of the offshore wind farm expected in the second half of calendar year 2025.
When fully complete, Dogger Bank will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, capable of powering around 6 million UK homes annually.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%). SSE Renewables is leading construction of the project on behalf of the three joint venture partners. Equinor will be lead operator of the wind farm on completion for its expected operational life of around 35 years.
3rd February 2025 in Project news, Supply Chain
North Star has officially named and handed over its latest service operations vessel (SOV), the Grampian Tweed, completing the company’s fleet of dedicated ships serving the Dogger Bank Wind Farm on long-term charter.
The Grampian Tweed is the fourth SOV introduced to support the Dogger Bank Wind Farm. This achievement builds on the strong foundation of collaboration, innovation, and shared expertise throughout North Star’s and Dogger Bank’s supply chain, with all four hybrid-powered ships designed to provide crucial logistical and safety support for the maintenance and operation of the wind farm.
“The naming of the Grampian Tweed is a proud moment for all of us across the business,” said Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO of North Star. “Our in-house teams have worked tirelessly to ensure that this SOV, alongside its sister vessels, meets the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. The early handover of all these ships not only reinforces our partnership with Equinor and SSE Renewables but also strengthening our role in the transition to a greener, more sustainable energy future.”
The Grampian Tweed’s naming ceremony, held at Associated British Ports (ABP) new Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility, was attended by representatives from North Star, Equinor, SSE Renewables, and local stakeholders.
Grampian Tweed service operations vessel
Emma Sayer, the Grampian Tweed’s godmother has been a valued member of North Star’s crewing team in Lowestoft for over 16 years. She played a key role in the naming ceremony which also featured a blessing from Rev. Peter Paine and speeches from Julian Walker, CCO & regional director of ABP, and Kamala Hajiyeva, VP & head of the Dogger Bank Development.
Kamala Hajiyeva, VP and head of Dogger Bank Wind Farm development said:
“With the arrival of the Grampian Tweed SOV, we celebrate the last of four vessels delivered to the project. The Grampian Tweed also provides a best-in-class working and living environment for our offshore wind technicians and team members, ensuring they can carry out essential maintenance safely and comfortably. The vessel’s advanced features will also provide essential services to the operations and maintenance of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm.”
Once complete, Dogger Bank will become the largest offshore wind farm in the world, with 3.6GW of generating capacity, enough to power up to six million homes annually. The addition of the Grampian Tweed to the fleet highlights the crucial role that North Star and its vessels play in supporting the continued development and success of the wind farm.
SSE Renewables Project Director for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Olly Cass, said:
“Congratulations to the team at North Star for achieving another significant milestone for our pioneering project. Today’s ceremony takes place in the region where our hybrid-powered daughter craft were built, once again demonstrating the huge amount of UK skills and expertise involved in delivering and operating the world’s largest offshore wind farm.”
Over the past three years, North Star has invested £270m and placed 160 experienced seafarers to support its Dogger Bank tonnage and will recruit a further 160 seafarers for its expanding SOV fleet in the next three years to meet current contract charter commitments.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is proud to support the UK’s offshore wind supply chain and has created more than 2,000 UK jobs in relation to the construction and operation activities of the project.
Image caption: North Star’s Grampian Tweed Masters Michael Dodd and Juan A. Escribano flank North Star CEO Gitte Gard Talmo, ABP’s CCO and regional director Julian Walker, and Kamala Hajiyeva, VP and Head of Development for the Dogger Bank Wind Farm
12th September 2024 in Community News, Press releases, Project news
- Anglo-Saxon discoveries near Ulrome and Skipsea close to location where Anglo-Saxon timber hall was excavated by York University earlier this year.
- Dogger Bank discoveries indicate Anglo-Saxons settled in Holderness.
- Evidence of Bronze Age, Iron-Age and Roman presence also excavated during Dogger Bank work.
- Archaeologists to talk about their significant discoveries at public event in Ulrome on 20 September.
Archaeologists working on Dogger Bank Wind Farm will reveal at a public event next week how they unearthed significant evidence of Anglo-Saxon presence in Holderness.
The ground-breaking early medieval discoveries were unearthed by the archaeologists working on the 30km corridor that houses the underground cables transmitting renewable energy from Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the North Sea, to the wind farm’s two onshore convertor stations off the A1079 near Beverley.
These significant discoveries include remnants of an Anglo-Saxon long hall structure between Beeford and Skipsea, and an Iron-Age or Anglo-Saxon glass bead recovered from a site in Ulrome. The two sites close to Beeford produced the most evidence for Anglo-Saxon activity.
More radiocarbon dating of the activity on these sites is required, but at the moment an area of 5th-6th century activity associated with metalworking has been identified, close to a separate area where a long hall and field system ditches were recorded. The findings indicate Anglo-Saxons probably lived and farmed in this landscape over multiple phases between the 5th-11th centuries.
Radiocarbon dating is a scientific method for accurately determining the age of organic materials, by analysing the decay of radioactive isotopes. The developers of the windfarm have invested in this technique to ensure the project provides local communities and historians with accurate data about how the land was used hundreds of years ago.
Across the pipeline route archaeologists also discovered Iron Age and Roman evidence including well-preserved roundhouses in Ulrome, Beeford and Leven, a long-handled bone comb in Leven and significant amounts of handmade and wheel-thrown pottery.
It has long been clear the Holderness area was inhabited by the Anglo-Saxons due to the names of the towns and villages in the area, many of which incorporate Anglo-Saxon elements. Over recent years archaeological evidence has begun to emerge of Anglo-Saxon activity in the landscape, and the findings near Beeford add significantly to an emerging picture of Anglo-Saxon life in the region, greatly enhancing understanding of the period in Holderness.
The evidence for domestic and industrial activity that was unearthed at the sites, which has been evaluated and confirmed by medieval specialists, is of particular importance and significance.
Since the excavations at Beeford, a team of experts from York University has excavated a nearby site in Skipsea, further confirming the presence of Anglo-Saxons in the local area, centuries ago.
Community Engagement Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Rachel Lawrence, said:
“Safeguarding historical evidence has been a critical part of our preparation work on Dogger Bank Wind Farm. We’re delighted we’re now able to share these exciting findings with the people who live in the towns and villages where this work was undertaken.
“As well as the multi-million pound investment Dogger Bank Wind Farm is making to support its key coastal communities, this work will add to the legacy we’ve created during the construction of the world’s largest offshore wind farm.”
The work was completed by Dogger Bank Wind Farm contractor AOC Archaeology, and their analysis has been supported by a wide team of artefact and period specialists.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has commissioned the production of replicas of some of the artefacts for educational purposes, and is set to share these with the public for the first time next week.
Representatives from the wind farm and AOC Archaeology will present the findings at a public event at Rickaby Village Hall in Ulrome, at 6pm on 20 September.
After the public event the replicas will be made available for local schools, to bring local history to life in the classroom. They include handmade replicas of a 6,000-year-old flint arrowhead, an Iron Age or Anglo-Saxon glass bead, an Iron Age to Roman bone comb and pottery that is thought to date back more than 2,000 years.
An online exhibition is also set to be launched later this year, giving the public access to a wealth of information about AOC’s work in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
During the Ulrome event AOC experts will share insight into the process of excavating and preserving historical artefacts, and describe the moment they realised they were on the verge of a regionally-significant discovery.
Project Manager for AOC Archaeology, Rebecca Jarosz- Blackburn, said:
“For me the most surprising and rewarding discovery on this project was the Anglo-Saxon long hall and associated field systems we recorded near Beeford, which represents some of the most extensive evidence from the period in the Holderness region.
“Since then it’s exciting to see further evidence from the period emerge, including the recent discovery of another Anglo-Saxon long hall in Skipsea by researchers from York University.
“Together our work on Dogger Bank Wind Farm and this work by York University is adding significant bodies of evidence like Anglo-Saxon pottery, metalwork and industrial materials in a region where Anglo-Saxon evidence has historically been quite sparse.
“Anglo Saxon discoveries of this kind are really interesting, because they give an opportunity to look at the everyday lives of people from the period – including how they farmed and interacted with the landscape. Unlike a cemetery site, where you might find the brooches and more precious items, if you can identify an Anglo-Saxon farming or settlement site you get a rare chance to investigate more of the reality of life in the period.”
Rickaby Village Hall was chosen for this event due to its proximity to the wind farm’s landfall point at Ulrome, where the wind farm’s sub-sea cables meet the onshore cables, for onward transmission to the convertor stations near Beverley. An Iron Age or Anglo-Saxon glass bead that forms part of the school education pack was also unearthed in the village of Ulrome.
The event is supported by Lissett and Ulrome Parish Council.
A second event is set to be held at a location further on in the 30km cable corridor at a future date to be confirmed.
AOC Project Manager Matt Walker, who grew up in East Yorkshire, also has a local connection to the Dogger Bank project. He said:
“One of the exciting outputs of the projects has been the volume of pottery coming out of our ditches – from some sites (including near Leven) there were wheelbarrows full of pottery.
“The region is known for producing Iron Age to Roman pottery so this is not a surprise, and to date the pottery we have typologies giving date ranges based on the fabrics and styles etc.
“At Dogger Bank, one of our main research aims was to try and narrow the current date ranges for handmade prehistoric and Roman pottery in the region by using radiocarbon dating.
“It is the scale of this project across the region, coupled with funding for radiocarbon dates, that gives us a really meaningful opportunity to add to this research theme and advance our understanding of Holderness thousands of years ago.
“What we found in and around Burshill was the core of an Iron Age to Roman settlement that would not have been uncovered without this net zero development.
“There are more artefacts that we’re still analysing and we hope to provide further information about them as our understanding becomes clearer.”
AOC and Dogger Bank Wind Farm are currently considering options for permanently locating the original artefacts once they’ve been fully analysed, with a preference to find a home close to where they were unearthed.
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 first two phases of the wind farm will transmit renewable energy into the national electricity network via the Creyke Beck substation near Beverley, close to the site where the project has built two onshore convertor stations over the last five years.
