22nd September 2021 in Community News, Press releases, Project news, Uncategorised
- Youngsters learn about importance of health and safety in offshore wind sector.
- Nottinghamshire-based firm nmcn shines a light on the construction industry.
- nmcn to donate career storybook to every Primary School in East Riding.
Representatives from the team building the world’s largest offshore wind farm took part in a health promotion event to inspire young people at an East Riding primary school.
The week-long series of health-focused events was organised by Woodmansey CE Primary School, with the Dogger Bank team invited along to address the health and safety-related aspects of the offshore wind industry.
A representative from nmcn, a construction firm working on behalf of Dogger Bank’s tier one supplier Hitachi ABB Power Grids, shared exerts from the company’s “When I grow up” career story book. nmcn, which is supporting the construction of the wind farm’s first onshore convertor station, near Beverley, is donating a copy of the award-winning book to every primary school in East Riding. More information about the book is available at https://nmcn.com/news/when-i-grow-up-nmcn-childrens-book/
Woodmansey CE Primary School Head of School, Bethan Nicholls, said:
“When we first heard about the role Woodmansey was playing in the installation of the largest offshore wind farm, we knew we had to share this journey with the children. Our annual Health Week provided the perfect platform for Rachel and Chris to come and share the benefits of wind farms and how the children’s very own village was being used.
“STEM is such a vital area of the curriculum and events such as this provide the children with real experience of the industry, hopefully inspiring some of our children to seek future careers within the science, technology, engineering or maths sectors. We are very grateful to Rachel and Chris for their engagement with us.”
Community Engagement Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Rachel Lawrence, said:
“The onshore cable route for the wind farm runs directly underneath the village of Woodmansey, and local children would have seen critical work going on near their school very recently. So it’s been great to have the opportunity to come in and talk to the children about how those cables will eventually transmit renewable energy to millions of UK homes, as well as sharing important health and safety messages from across the green energy sector.
“The children enjoyed trying on some protective clothing and asked some impressive questions about the energy transition.
“It was also great to have the support of nmcn to share their impressive career storybook, which they’re offering to all 124 primary schools in East Riding.”
In June Dogger Bank Wind Farm unveiled plans to invest £1 million in coastal communities during its construction. The programme will put science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), at the heart of children’s education, helping them prepare for jobs that will be vital to the green economic recovery of the UK. Local community organisations can also apply for grants up to £500 at https://doggerbank.com/about/community/
The East Riding part of the programme was developed in partnership with East Riding of Yorkshire Council, providing opportunities for all 124 primary schools in the county to increase and expand their STEM provision. The programme will also be rolled out on Teesside where the wind farm’s third phase connects to the National Grid, as well as South Tyneside where the operation and maintenance base will be located.
nmcn Business Development Manager, Chris Withers, said:
“The Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a major development which will deliver a number of benefits for both the public and supply chain. Through nmcn’s involvement in the project on behalf of Hitachi ABB Power Grids providing the civil engineering scope, we are also delighted to be able to visit Woodmansey Primary School to provide an insight into the construction industry, deliver health and safety advice and inspire future generations.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is to be built more than 130km off the Yorkshire coast in the North Sea, is currently being developed in three 1.2GW phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C.
Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40 per cent), Equinor (40 per cent) and Eni (20 per cent), and will connect the National Grid between Beverley and Cottingham. Dogger Bank C is a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor and will connect the National Grid on Teesside.
Work on the onshore convertor station for Dogger Bank A began in the summer, at a site off the A1079 between Beverley and Cottingham. The convertor station will take the electricity generated by the wind turbines from the first phase of the wind farm in the North Sea, and convert it from HVDC to HVAC current, before the power passes through the adjacent main substation into the National Grid for distribution to homes and businesses.
nmcn is carrying out civil engineering work at the site on behalf of Hitachi ABB Power Grids. Hull-based Ashcourt Group previously carried out preparation work at the A1079 site on behalf of Hitachi ABB Power Grids.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm awarded contracts to Hitachi ABB Power Grids to install its HVDC Light® technology to connect the transmission link on all three phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, making it the UK’s first HVDC-connected windfarm.
14th September 2021 in Operations, Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has today revealed that its new operations and maintenance (O&M) base will be constructed and operated in line with the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework to ensure transparent and robust reporting of its sustainability credentials.
The facility, to be located at the Port of Tyne, will support what will become the biggest offshore wind farm in the world upon completion. Construction of the base is expected to start in Q3 2021 and end in Q3 2022, ahead of wind farm operations starting in 2023. Around 200 people will be based there or offshore to operate and maintain the wind farm, which will be able to generate around 5% of the UK’s electricity.
The O&M base has been designed by international design practice, Ryder Architecture, headquartered in Newcastle. The construction project is being managed by Equinor, which has contracted global real estate advisor CBRE as the local Project Manager, and Bowmer + Kirkland (B+K) as the Principal Contractor for the facility.
B+K will manage the work from their offices in Sunderland, close to the Port of Tyne where the base will be located.
Halfdan Brustad, Vice President for Dogger Bank at Equinor, said “With the capability to generate electricity for millions of homes, Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being built on a scale never been seen before in offshore wind. The project will make a real contribution to decarbonising our electricity system, and help the UK meet its net zero targets.
“The sustainable ethos of the project runs right through to operations. We are delighted that we will work with CBRE and Bowmer + Kirkland on this innovative building, that has been designed by Ryder with sustainability at the forefront. This modern and attractive facility will support over 200 people working directly on Dogger Bank, and be a proud base at the heart of the North East for teams working on the world’s largest offshore wind farm.”
The 3407m2 base will use low carbon materials and will meet the highest energy efficiency classifications. Solar PV panels will be installed for onsite renewable generation, and EV charging points will be available so staff and visitors can travel there in low emissions vehicles, further reducing the wider impact.
In the UK, the industry recognised framework for verifying the Net Zero Carbon (NZC) performance of the built environment, both during construction and operational phases, is provided by the UK Green building council (UKGBC). There are two strands to this framework, principles for NZC construction and principles to be applied for operational NZC; both of which will be applied to the base. CBRE will work closely with the project team to apply industry recognised approaches to material selection, operational energy modelling and carbon accounting, submitting a final evidence pack for third party review.
To demonstrate commitment to NZC and to drive down the cradle to practical completion embodied carbon, the project has set an internal carbon price (ICP) for the facility aligned with industry best practice. Consideration of this ICP rate alongside the market cost of associated materials has allowed the design team to make a financial case for selecting materials with best in class environmental performance. CBRE is overseeing the Project and Cost Management for the project. In addition, CBRE is providing Mechanical and Electrical Design, Sustainability and Environmental Consultancy.
Mark Little, Head of Scotland, Project Management and Building Consultancy at CBRE, said “We are incredibly excited and honoured to deliver this project on behalf of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. The design and construction methods to be used are at the forefront of sustainable development, maximising the use of local skills and materials in and around the North East.”
Bowmer + Kirkland has been appointed to perform detailed design and build the facility, including office space, a large warehouse to store spare parts, car parking and HGV yard as well as an outside recreational area.
Liz Wilson, B+K Project Manager said: “The Bowmer + Kirkland North East & Scotland region is immensely proud to be representing Dogger Bank for this new development that will attract some of the region’s leading professionals. It is fantastic that we have been successful in our bid for this high profile project and that we are able to provide support and sustainability to our region and local supply chain especially after the last 18 months.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm Director, Steve Wilson, said: “With its low carbon materials, solar panels and EV charging points, we hope this locally-designed base will help inspire future developers as the UK continues on its journey to net zero. Once again Dogger Bank Wind Farm has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible to drive positive improvements in low carbon development.”
Dogger Bank wind farm will be located more than 130km out to sea, off the North East coast of England, and when complete will be able to generate around 5% of the UK’s electricity.
The project has already announced it will use the world’s first Ultra-Low emissions jack-up vessel to install its ground-breaking turbines, the most powerful in the world, and the Service Operations Vessels used during operations will be fitted with a hybrid battery system to reduce emissions even further.
Recruitment will ramp up in 2022, as the project looks to fill roles including wind farm technicians, health and safety professionals, project planners and engineers. It is expected that the activity from a world-leading project as large as Dogger Bank will attract supply chain companies to the area, and companies in the North East are already feeling the ripple effects.
Dogger Bank wind farm is being built in three phases, Dogger Bank A, B and C. Dogger Bank A and B are a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%). Dogger Bank C is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (50%) and Equinor (50%). SSE renewables is leading on the construction of the wind farm and Equinor will operate the wind farm for its lifetime of up to 35 years.
ENDS
About Equinor in the North East
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.
With its partners SSE Renewables and Eni, Equinor is building the largest offshore wind farm in the world, Dogger Bank, off the North East coast of England. Equinor will lead the Operations phase of the wind farm, and around 200 new roles will be created to operate and maintain the wind farm, from a state-of-the-art base that will be constructed at the Port of Tyne.
Equinor is working closely with the North East Offshore Wind Cluster Energi Coast and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult to advance the offshore wind industry in the region. This includes supporting the Technology, Innovation & Green Growth for Offshore Renewables (TIGGOR) programme designed to boost supply chain growth and productivity for companies in the North East.
Equinor is also a leader in carbon capture utilisation & storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, and is developing a number of projects in the UK, including in the Humber and Teesside regions of North East England. It is developing the H2H Saltend low-carbon hydrogen production plant that is at the heart of the Zero Carbon Humber alliance and collaborating with SSE Thermal on low-carbon power projects using hydrogen and carbon capture in the Humber. It is also partnering in the Net Zero Teesside power project and, as part of the Northern Endurance Partnership, it is developing CO2 transport and storage infrastructure for the Humber and Teesside.
Find out more at www.equinor.co.uk
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 is leading construction of more offshore wind energy than any other company in the world right now. 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 and Eni, as well as Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm, the 1.1GW Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm in the Firth of Forth, which is a joint venture with TotalEnergies. It also has the largest offshore wind development pipeline across the UK and Ireland at around 7GW, of which around 1.5GW is already in construction and nearly 800MW is fully consented.
SSE Renewables owns nearly 2GW of operational onshore wind capacity with a development pipeline of 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 parent company SSE plc is a Principal Partner to the UK Government in the run up to and during the COP26 UN climate summit in November 2021.
Bowmer + Kirkland
Established in 1923, Bowmer + Kirkland (B+K) has grown to become one of the UK’s most successful and financially secure, privately-owned construction and development groups. There are 27 companies within the group specialising in construction and construction-related activities. Last year we achieved a turnover of £1.11billion.
Over the past five years 63% of our projects were for returning clients in a variety of sectors.
Bowmer + Kirkland offers clients in both the private and public sectors a national service delivered locally through specialist regional teams located in Manchester, Sunderland, Motherwell, Reading, London and our HQ in Derbyshire. As a private, family-owned business our aim is simple – to deliver the highest level of client satisfaction on every project.
About CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE: CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2020 revenue). The company has more than 100,000 employees serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves a diverse range of clients with an integrated suite of services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com
Ryder Architecture
Ryder was established in Newcastle in 1953, and now has a team of over 300 passionate people across the UK, Hong Kong, Vancouver and Amsterdam. We deliver pioneering architectural services across a diverse portfolio of sectors, collaborating globally with Ryder Alliance partners.
Our goal is simple – to improve the quality of the world around us and, in doing so, improve people’s lives.
www.ryderarchitecture.com #Everythingarchitecture
13th September 2021 in Press releases, Project news, Supply Chain
- Plans for the Teesside-based factory were unveiled by LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy Business, following a significant order from Dogger Bank Wind Farm for the Haliade-X turbine.
- The Teesworks plant will produce sets of 107m blades for GE’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.
- The Haliade-X turbines will be installed on Dogger Bank Wind Farm, more than 130km from the Yorkshire coast.
- Blades produced in Teesside will be installed at Dogger Bank from 2024 onwards.
- Facility will create 750 direct and 1,500 indirect jobs in the region.
GE Renewable Energy has secured planning approval to build a new world-class blade manufacturing facility on Teesside in the north-east of England to produce blades for its Haliade-X turbine that will power Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
The significant order of Haliade-X offshore wind turbines from Dogger Bank Wind Farm was a decisive factor in GE Renewable Energy’s decision to green light the new manufacturing plant earlier this year, delivering a long-term renewable energy jobs boost to the region. The UK Government has also provided support to GE Renewable Energy to set up this new plant near Teesside as part of a greater effort to develop an industry and supply chain for the development of offshore wind in the country. This follows the designation of Teesside as one of the UK’s newest freeports.
Construction of the plant should begin later in 2021 on completion of all contractual documents, while recruitment is scheduled to begin in mid-2022.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:
“It’s fantastic news that this mammoth project has passed the planning hurdle and is on course to be up-and-running by 2023, helping to create thousands of well-paid, good-quality jobs for people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. Once completed, it will play a central role in our ambitions to become a powerhouse in the growing UK offshore wind sector and add a huge amount to our clean energy credentials. In the short-term, we can now get spades in the ground and give a vital post-pandemic boost to our construction sector.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director, Steve Wilson, said:
“This important milestone brings us a step closer to the installation of UK-manufactured turbine blades on the world’s largest offshore wind farm. We’re proud to be the anchor project for this world-leading LM Wind Power facility, which offers long-term benefits to Teesside and the wider UK supply chain.”
LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business, will set up and operate the state-of-the-art new facility at Teesworks, an ideal location to serve the vast offshore wind potential of the North Sea. It is anticipated the factory, which will start producing the 107-metre blades in 2023, will create up to 750 direct jobs, and around 1,500 indirect jobs, in the region.
Olivier Fontan, President & CEO of LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business said:
“We are delighted to have received this important approval from the local planning authorities and are thankful for the collaboration between all parties involved, including Teesworks and the South Tees Development Corporation. This important milestone sets us on track for the construction and future opening of the facility in 2023. We are proud of the contribution we will be making in rejuvenating this industrial cluster and helping it play a key role in future of renewable energy.”
A substantial number of Haliade-X blades for Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be among the first orders to be delivered from the new manufacturing plant. Blades produced at Teesworks will be installed from 2024 onwards.
Andrew Bellamy, LM Wind Power UK General Manager said:
“We anticipate the vast majority of the roles in our new factory to be filled by local workers who will be given training through the LM Centre of Excellence, where they will be fully upskilled on blade manufacturing techniques. These highly skilled operator roles are key to the success of the plant, and we are ready to leverage the knowledge and experience of our global LM Wind Power team with the manufacturing pedigree of the Tees region.”
Confirmation that part of the turbine blades for Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be manufactured in the UK delivers on a key commitment by the wind farm’s joint developers SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni to support the development of a UK supply chain, creating substantial local jobs and maximising UK supply chain opportunities.
GE’s Haliade-X is the most powerful offshore wind turbine in operation today. The Haliade-X 13MW turbine was confirmed for the first two phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm in September 2020, with a record-breaking order for 190 of the innovative machines. GE Renewable Energy has also been selected to provide its uprated Haliade-X 14MW for Dogger Bank C, subject to Dogger Bank C reaching Financial Close in late 2021.
The three phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm will have a combined installed generation capacity of 3.6GW, enough to power six million UK homes. When complete in 2026, it will be the world’s biggest offshore wind farm.
The 2.4GW Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%). The A and B phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm reached financial close in November 2020 at competitive terms underlining the attractiveness of the UK offshore wind assets and the confidence in the joint venture. The 1.2GW third phase of the wind farm, Dogger Bank C, is a 50:50 joint venture between Equinor and SSE Renewables and is being developed under a different timeline.
SSE Renewables is leading on the construction and delivery of all three phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Equinor will operate Dogger Bank Wind Farm on completion.
The electricity generated by the turbines at Dogger Bank, which are between 130km and over 200km from shore, will be transmitted onshore via subsea cables. Due to the distance of each of the Dogger Bank phases offshore, it will be the first wind farm in the UK to utilise an HVDC connection. The use of an HVDC connection will ensure the renewable energy being transmitted over the long distances from the Dogger Bank offshore to the onshore grid connections in England’s East Riding and Teesside will be achieved efficiently while minimising losses.
Ends
Picture caption: GE Renewable Energy has secured planning approval to build a new world-class blade manufacturing facility on Teesside in the north-east of England to produce blades for its Haliade-X turbine that will power Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Picture source: GE Renewable Energy.
Media contact – Dogger Bank Wind Farm:
Rachel Lawrence, SSE Renewables
rachel.lawrence@sse.com
+44 (0) 7385 368783
Media contact – GE Renewable Energy:
Sebastien Duchamp
sebastien.duchamp@ge.com
+33 6 73 19 59 64
31st August 2021 in Community News, Press releases, Project news
A marine support crew working on Dogger Bank Wind Farm rescued a young boy at the weekend, when he got into difficulty in water at Bridlington Harbour.
The two-man crew from Scotland-based SMS was returning to the harbour on Sunday, when they heard a splash on the opposite side of the pontoon.
Celtic Mara Skipper Chris Warren and Deck Hand Neil MacInnes, spotted a young boy clinging to side of the pontoon in a state of panic. Neil pulled the boy to safety while Chris prevented a ladder from a nearby yacht falling onto the boy’s head.
The team offered the little boy, aged approximately 7 or 8, thermal protection and reassurance before leaving him in the care of his family.
“We were happy to have been in the right place at the right time to reach out and help this little boy. When we got to him he was shocked, cold and shivery, but thankfully didn’t appear to have swallowed any water,” explained Chris.
“We didn’t see how he got into difficulty and while the water there isn’t that deep, the ground is thick with mud and the temperature of the water is enough to send you into a panic.
“As we’re all trained in health and safety, first-aid and marine rescue, having commercial boats in a harbour to support a wind farm development can offer an extra degree of resilience, in addition to the critical work already carried out by the local RNLI and independent lifeboat crews.
“In our work we come across quite a lot of people near water who aren’t wearing lifejackets, and perhaps don’t fully appreciate the hidden dangers of falling into cold water.
“ As experienced mariners we would advise anyone who is spending time near water to follow the advice given by the RNLI at www.rnli.org”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is to be built more than 130km off the Yorkshire coast in the North Sea, is currently being developed in three 1.2GW phases: Dogger Bank A, B and C.
Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40 per cent), Equinor (40 per cent) and Eni (20 per cent), and will connect the National Grid between Beverley and Cottingham. Dogger Bank C is a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor and will connect the National Grid on Teesside.
Chris and Neil are currently supporting Dogger Bank’s export cable provider, NKT and its sub-contractor ABCO, with crew transfers as they carry out inspection work on the nearshore cable route for A and B, adjacent to the landfall point at Ulrome.
Community Engagement Manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Rachel Lawrence, said:
“The crew’s quick actions undoubtedly prevented what could have turned out to be a very different day for the little boy.
“The safety of people working on our development and the surrounding communities is paramount on Dogger Bank Wind Farm. The Celtic Mara team perfectly embody that safety culture, and deserve to be recognised for demonstrating how to work swiftly, calmly and efficiently in a crisis.
“We hope the little boy involved is feeling much better. ”
23rd August 2021 in Blogs, Community News, Project news
“With the risk of employment uncertainty in the post-pandemic world, and with many of our young people impacted by education and social challenges, we have an opportunity to use our net zero future as a springboard to turn this tide,” explains Lindsay Dougan, Community Investment Manager on Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
“Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a key asset for the north and north-east of England. It will create and support thousands of jobs, as well as ensuring clean energy for future generations with the capacity to power 6 million UK homes. We take seriously our responsibility to develop the wind farm sustainably and part of this is our social commitment to share the benefit with coastal communities. We will invest £1 million during the construction of the wind farm and have committed to focusing on enhancing STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) attainment to ensure young people are prepared for the jobs of the future.
“We made a commitment when we were developing the wind farm that we would invest in STEM as we have a responsibility to make sure young people are ready for the job opportunities on their doorstep. What we didn’t foresee was that we would be delivering this commitment during a pandemic!
“Young people have had to experience social isolation and virtual learning in the last 18 months and we have an opportunity to use our net zero future to help them thrive during the pandemic recovery and beyond.
“We have taken our commitment to local areas seriously – we have listened to education and skills partners and it is their expertise and local priorities which has determined what the STEM funding focuses on from early years in East Riding of Yorkshire to school transition in South Tyneside. This approach ensures it maximises its impact for the 25,000 young people in these local areas.
“Our net zero future promises roles that will be challenging and rewarding in equal measure. From the turbine technicians who ensure the wind farms achieve optimum performance to the planning experts who will bring us even larger and more innovative wind farms in the future. The energy transition is one of society’s most pressing priorities and we have a responsibility to inspire and support the experts who will be the key to its success.
“We know from our experience engaging with local schools how keen young people are to challenge themselves to live sustainable lives. In a recent visit to Skipsea Primary School in East Riding a colleague was asked by an 8-year-old boy whether she bought her electricity from renewable energy sources. The smart boy cleverly pointed out the electric vehicle she arrived in would only help the planet if she was buying her fuel from sustainable providers. We may be the trailblazers of offshore wind but it’s the eight-year-olds of today who will shape our tomorrow.
“As we continue to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm at Dogger Bank, we have a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the lives of people living in the coastal communities where we’re installing our infrastructure. And there’s never been a more important time to get this right.”
