27th November 2020 in Community News, Project news
The Dogger Bank Wind Farm has been able to offer support to more than 22,000 people in East Riding and the Tees Valley during the coronavirus, thanks to the efforts of two leading charities.
The County Durham Community Foundation and the Two Ridings Community Foundation have helped us to distribute around £35,000 to local groups since the start of the pandemic.
These include:
East Riding of Yorkshire (supporting more than 16,500 local people)
- Bridlington & District Samaritans
- Kingstrust Network CIO: Gateway Community Care Hub
- Welcome Centre, Hornsea
- 6th Bridlington Scout Group
- The Hinge Centre Limited
- Home Start – Goole and District
Tees Valley (supporting nearly 6,000 people)
- The Ladies of Steel
- EVA Women’s Aid
- Footprints in the Community
- Coatham House Projects
Steve Wilson, Project Director for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said: “It has been a great privilege during the coronavirus pandemic to be able to reach out to more than 22,000 people with support from these two invaluable community foundations.
“The charities and organisations we’ve donated to offer a lifeline for families in their areas, helping with everything from foodbank packages and housing, to domestic and sexual abuse counselling and support.
“We’re proud to have played a small role in helping them to keep their doors open at a time when they were needed the most.”
Case study: Ladies of Steel
The community organisations received financial support to help them offer a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable and socially-isolated members of our community. But they couldn’t have done this without the volunteers who’ve made great personal sacrifices to maintain critical services.
Chris and Debbie Powlay have distributed more than £15,000-worth of food and essentials to vulnerable and elderly residents on Teesside during this period.
Whether it’s serving afternoon tea for Dormanstown pensioners, delivering medication to a local cancer sufferer or providing free meals for disadvantaged schoolchildren, Chris and Debbie have provided a lifeline to their local community.
“People are extremely grateful for what we do,” said Debbie. “I’ve had people say ‘I’m on my last slice of bread’ or that they have no milk. People have cried on their doorstep.
“I’m a big softie so I do get very emotional. Sometimes it’s happy crying because I see how much it means to them but other times I do come away with a tear in my eye because I’m sad for them.
“Some people are desperate, others are in isolation and are worried that they might have to go out to get food or medicines. Many elderly people aren’t internet-savvy so wouldn’t know where to start with an online shopping order.
“Sadly, people are falling through the cracks and it’s been a delight just to see them smiling.”
Debbie and Chris have delivered nearly 500 food parcels across Dormanstown and nearby areas including Redcar, Marske and Kirkleatham.
Michelle Cooper, Chief Executive of County Durham Community Foundation , said: “It was really heartening to have the Dogger Bank Wind Farm reach out and want to help in the pandemic: this is the future for a responsible and caring business that nourishes the community on its doorstep. By working together in this way, the project has shown compassion and foresight and we have been able to share our local knowledge and trusted connections to get the money where it can make a real difference, quickly.”
Case study: 6th Bridlington Scout Group
And it’s not just adults who’ve been lending a helping hand during this time, children have done their bit too.
The 6th Bridlington Scout Group used their funding from the Dogger Bank Wind Farm to supply essentials, provide distanced Zoom activities for mental wellbeing and support a grow and cook project in one of their deprived communities.
As a result, they’ve been able to reach out to more than 100 different families in Bridlington and its surrounding villages.
“We managed to get care packages to the vulnerable, the elderly, volunteers who have worked throughout the crisis, people who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a teenager fighting cancer and of course our scout families, who have been given a boost from your generosity as we cannot be scouting properly and they have enjoyed lots of professional Zoom sessions thanks to your generosity too,” said Ian Taylor.
Jan Garrill, Chief Executive of the Two Ridings Community Foundation, said: “Having this grant via Two Ridings from Dogger Farm Wind Farm has really made a huge difference to the lives of local people because we could put a smile on a lot of people’s faces which made a big impact in this difficult time.
“As not only did we give to the vulnerable, elderly, redundant and sick people we also managed to give boxes to other volunteers which was fantastic as these people have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic and although don’t do it for reward, really appreciated that they had been thought about. And one elderly lady really touched us, as she said she often feels forgotten and this pack really gave her a boost. So we have helped people retain their mental wellbeing throughout this, so thank you very much, you have really made a difference to a lot of people.”
For further information:
Media contact – Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
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.
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.”
24th November 2020 in Press releases, Project news
24 November 2020: SSE Renewables and Equinor, the joint venture partners co-developing the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the North Sea, have announced today that 15-year offtake Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have been signed for the first two phases of the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
Separate PPAs for a total of 2.4GW across both Dogger Bank Wind Farm A and B have been concluded with external offtakers Ørsted (40% share) and Shell Energy Europe Limited (20% share), and with sponsor offtakers Danske Commodities (20% share) on behalf of Equinor and SSE Energy Supply Limited (20% share) on behalf of SSE Renewables. The agreements are subject to Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, which is expected shortly.
The deals to buy the power generated by the first two phases of the wind farm follow the conclusion of a competitive bidding process. Taken together they represent the largest set of PPAs completed to date in a tender process for a renewable energy project in the UK energy market.
Ørsted will have trading and balancing responsibility for 960MW while Shell Energy Europe, SSE Energy Supply and Danske Commodities will have responsibility for 480MW each of installed generation capacity across Dogger Bank A and B.
Steve Wilson, Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s Project Director at SSE Renewables, said:
“Today’s announcement that we have concluded offtake Power Purchase Agreements for Dogger Bank A and B marks one of our final milestones ahead of reaching financial close soon for what will be the world’s biggest offshore wind farm. These agreements with leading energy trading companies will ensure the renewable energy generated by the first two phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm can be sold into the GB electricity market, delivering on our promise to power millions of British households with green energy.”
Halfdan Brustad, vice president for Dogger Bank at Equinor, said:
“We are delighted to announce offtake agreements for Dogger Bank A and B. Despite the current global challenges, the project is really moving forwards and this tangible milestone brings us one step closer to Financial Close. Large-scale renewable energy projects like Dogger Bank are not only crucial for the UK to reach its net zero ambitions, the project will bring many economic benefits to the UK in terms of jobs and supply chain opportunities. We are proud to be contributing to a just energy transition and supporting the Government’s 10 point plan for a green industrial future.”
Morten Buchgreitz, Executive Vice President and CEO of Ørsted Markets & Bioenergy, said:
“We’re very pleased with the signing of this agreement which underlines our position as a leading energy trading company in the UK. Handling a 15-year trading agreement with the Dogger Bank Wind Farm is indeed in line with our vision to create a world that runs entirely on green energy. We’re very much looking forward to our cooperation.”
Rupen Tanna, general manager for power at Shell Energy Europe, said:
“We are proud to support the world’s largest offshore wind farm through a long-term agreement that will help us to meet the evolving energy needs of our customers. As the UK Government underscored earlier this month, offshore wind will play a key role in the UK’s transition to a low-carbon future.”
Tor Mosegaard, Danske Commodities’ VP, Head of European Power Trading, said:
“The Dogger Bank PPA is a great addition to our long-term portfolio and it shows our commitment to British renewables. Danske Commodities has traded power in the UK for more than ten years and we see PPAs as a crucial part of ensuring the continued development of renewables. As Equinor’s power trading arm and route-to-market for renewable power production, we help turn green ambitions into an economically viable business – one wind farm at a time.”
Gordon Bell, Commercial Director of Energy Portfolio Management for SSE Energy Supply, said:
“We are delighted to secure this PPA for Dogger Bank, bringing green energy from the world’s largest offshore wind farm to customers across the UK, while supporting SSE’s ambition to treble its renewable electricity output by 2030. The renewable energy produced by Dogger Bank will play a key role in greening the UK’s electricity generation and driving the transition to a net-zero future.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a joint venture between SSE Renewables, who are leading the construction of the offshore wind farm, and Equinor, who will operate the 3.6GW project during its lifetime of at least 25-years. When completed, Dogger Bank will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
Due to its size and scale, the overall wind farm is being built in three consecutive 1.2GW phases; Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C. Each project is expected to generate around 6TWh of electricity annually.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm secured 3.6GW of offshore wind contracts in the UK Government’s 2019 Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions. The CfDs awarded provide overall price certainty to each phase of Dogger Bank Wind Farm for a period of 15 years.
The offtake PPAs being announced today for Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B cover a matching 15-year term from the start of the CfDs awarded to each project. The commercial power agreements provide a route to sell the green energy generated by both wind farms into the GB electricity market when they each enter operation.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located over 130km off England’s north-east coast and will be capable of powering up to 4.5 UK million homes each year when complete in 2026.
Ends
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
- A 50:50 joint venture between Equinor and SSE Renewables.
- Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B is expected shortly with Financial Close for Dogger Bank C expected in late 2021.
- Consent was granted in 2015.
- Located in the North Sea, with each phase more than 130km from the Yorkshire Coast.
- Each phase of the project (Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C) will have an installed capacity of 1.2GW and will be able to power 1.5 million homes. Together, they can provide approximately 5% of the UK’s estimated electricity generation.
- Construction activities started in 2020; while turbine installation is scheduled to begin in 2023 at Dogger Bank A.
- The first phase, Dogger Bank A, is expected to be operational in 2023. The overall wind farm is expected to be complete in 2026.
- 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. Preferred supplier for foundation fabrication will be announced in 2020.
- The project will be the first in the UK to use a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission system due to long distance to grid connection point.
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.
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.
17th November 2020 in Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
Dogger Bank Wind Farm and a joint venture between the Sif Group and Smulders are today (17 November 2020), announcing a contract to provide the wind turbine foundations for the first two phases of the world’s largest offshore windfarm.
Dogger Bank is a joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor, with SSE Renewables leading on the construction phase and Equinor leading on the operation for the lifetime of the project of at least 25 years.
As part of the Sif-Smulders consortium, Sif will be responsible for the fabrication and supply of 190 monopiles and primary steel for the transition pieces, as well as for the marshalling of all foundation components. Smulders will be responsible for the supply, fabrication and fit-out of the secondary steel for the transition pieces.
The contract, which is subject to Dogger Bank A and B reaching Financial Close, includes monopile foundations and transition pieces that will be designed by UK-based designers Wood Thilsted. Wood Thilsted were part of the team that pioneered the PISA design methodology for monopolie foundations, using geotechnical engineering through the design process to optimise the final design. Transportation and installation for the foundations will be undertaken by OHT, with installation due to begin summer 2022.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm previously announced a record-breaking contract with GE Renewables to provide 190 of its 13MW Haliade-X turbines for Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director, Steve Wilson, said: “We’re working with the consortium on an innovative approach to manufacturing and installing UK-designed foundations that will support the world’s largest and most powerful wind turbines in operation.
“As the final tier one supplier to be confirmed in the Dogger Bank Wind Farm development, this contract marks a significant milestone for us. In the meantime, we continue to explore opportunities for other UK-based businesses to be part of this developing supply chain.”
Fred van Beers, CEO of Sif Holding, said: “Dogger Bank Wind Farm joint venture partners SSE and Equinor are strong, experienced and reputable customers. Through our facility at MV2 we are well-positioned to serve the Dogger Bank Wind Farm project and we look forward to a continuation of the excellent relationship that dates back many years already. With this biggest award ever to Sif, the projects still in exclusive negotiation and the strong tender pipeline, Sif’s mid-term order pipeline is now looking very robust.”
For further information:
Media contact – Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
Rachel Lawrence, SSE Renewables
rachel.lawrence@sse.com
T: +44 (0) 7385 368783
Media contact – Sif
Fons van Lith
+31 (0)475 385 777
+31 (0)6 5131 495
f.vanlith@sif-group.com
Media contact – Smulders
Britt Weckx
+32 (0)14 672 281
britt.weckx@smulders.com
About Dogger Bank Wind Farm
- A 50:50 joint venture between Equinor and SSE Renewables.
- Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B is expected in late 2020 with Financial Close for Dogger Bank C expected in late 2021.
- Consent was granted in 2015.
- Located in the North Sea, with each phase more than 130km from the Yorkshire Coast.
- Each phase of the project (Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C) will have an installed capacity of 1.2GW and will be able to power 1.5 million homes. Together, they can provide approximately 5% of the UK’s estimated electricity generation.
- Construction activities started in 2020; while turbine installation is scheduled to begin in 2023 at Dogger Bank A.
- The first phase, Dogger Bank A, is expected to be operational in 2023.· The project will be the first in the UK to use a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission system due to long distance to grid connection point.
- GE’s innovative and record-breaking 13MW Haliade-X is the turbine that will power the first two phases of the project
- The contract with Sif Group and Smulders completes the list of tier one suppliers for the first two phases of the development. They are: GE Renewables, Jan De Nuul, Saipem, Aibel, ABB, NKT, OHT, DEME Offshore, Port of Tyne, Jones Bros, Sif Group and Smulders consortium, Wood Thilsted
About Sif Holding N.V.
Sif is a leading manufacturer of large steel tubulars, which are used as foundation components for the offshore wind and offshore oil & gas markets. The Company manufactures customised tubular components for offshore foundations, predominantly in the greater North Sea region. Sif combines a highly automated and flexible production facility with technology leadership in rolling and welding of heavy steel plates, which is based on almost 70 years of experience and innovative in-house developed techniques and processes. Sif primarily produces monopiles, transition pieces and piles that are used to anchor jacket foundations in the seabed for offshore wind turbines, as well as legs, pile sleeves and piles of the larger jackets for oil & gas as well as tubular structures for various uses such as jetties.
www.sif-group.com
About Smulders
Smulders, subsidiary of Eiffage Métal, is an international steel construction company with a proven track record in the engineering, production, delivery and assembly of heavy, technically complex steel constructions. With over 50 years of experience in its field, Smulders was the logical choice for offshore wind structures back in the pioneering days of wind energy 20 years ago. Today, Smulders is an established market leader and can boast delivery of 30 substations, more than 1,900 transition pieces and 100 jackets. Smulders has more than 1,000 employees working across 5 locations.
www.smulders.com
About Eiffage Métal
Eiffage Metal is the Eiffage Group’s brand dedicated to metallic construction. Eiffage Metal’s teams contribute their recognized turnkey project expertise in the field of steel construction to the design and construction of steel structures and building envelopes and façades. They also specialize in multi-technical solutions for all industrial sectors, and particularly energy, with their proven experience in offshore windfarm building. Present throughout Europe and internationally, Eiffage Métal employs more than 2,300 people and has 9 plants.
www.eiffageinfrastructures.com/eiffage-metal
