Imperial researchers put the spotlight on Dogger Bank HVDC system in new report
A report examining the rollout of High-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission technology on the world’s largest offshore wind farm in construction has been published by researchers from STEMB university Imperial College London today.
Imperial Business Partners member SSE, and Imperial Partner Hitachi Energy, gave the researchers exclusive access to experts working on the Dogger Bank Wind Farm to author an independent review examining the planning and installation of the wind farm’s three-phase transmission system.
The launch of the report coincides with the start of Renewable UK’s Global Offshore Wind Conference in London today. At the event. Hitachi Energy will host a roundtable session with industry representatives to discuss key themes highlighted by the report’s authors and the Dogger Bank Wind Farm project as a showcase of best practice solutions for future large-scale energy project delivery.
The report is available here: https://www.imperial-consultants.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dogger-Bank-Final-Report-16-April-2025.pdf
The new report, researched and written by Kaylen Camacho McCluskey and Dr Aidan Rhodes via Imperial Consultants, explores the challenges of planning and executing an HVDC system on an unprecedented scale and draws conclusions about how this technology could help the UK on its journey to net zero.
The authors drew on the experience of representatives from SSE, Hitachi Energy, and Equinor to provide readers with a detailed account of how the system was developed and to outline clear pathways for future developers.
In their conclusions, Kaylen and Aidan presented how best practice from Dogger Bank could be used to steer the UK’s offshore wind industry towards:
- Greater adoption of HVDC technology and projects
- Strong, stable domestic HVDC supply chains
- Resilient, integrated networks
- Long-term, collaborative business partnerships
Dr Aidan Rhodes, report author and Research Fellow for Energy Policy at Imperial College London, said:
“Wind energy is the UK’s richest renewable energy source and with the right infrastructure and planning could form the backbone of a secure, home-grown energy system fit for our Net Zero future.
“Speaking with individuals directly involved in delivering Dogger Bank and its HVDC transmission system, the resilience required to execute a project of this scale, novelty, and complexity became very clear. I think the innovation here lies as much in the obvious technological achievements, like the 1.2 GW offshore converter station, as it does in the deeply collaborative approach.
“It’s been insightful to hear about experiences from the project, to reflect on how the offshore wind industry has evolved since Dogger Bank was first approved, and to consider how these lessons can be leveraged to address some very pressing challenges, grow domestic expertise in HVDC and support the industry on the road to Net Zero.”
Alan Borland, Turbine Director for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said:
“Designing and building a world-leading wind farm is a hugely challenging and complex process, with an inevitable amount of highs and lows. As wind farms grow in scale, with increasing distances from shore and technology continuing to evolve, we expect these engineering challenges are only going to become greater.
“In a world where we’re all striving towards the same goals, we think it’s important for developers like ourselves to give future pioneers of offshore wind the chance to learn from our successes and challenges.
“The result of our work with academics from Imperial College London is an insightful document that shines a light on the workings of an offshore wind development team and constructive observations about what the future might hold for HVDC in the journey to Net Zero.”
Grant McKay, Regional Sales Manager from Hitachi Energy, said:
“Dogger Bank is a landmark project that offers invaluable insights for future large-scale energy infrastructure developments in the UK and beyond. This report demonstrates that offshore HVDC transmission systems can be built at scale and speed when underpinned by long-term partnerships and a shared commitment to functionality and efficiency.
“The report reaffirms the critical importance of building resilient integrated networks to ensure a stable and secure energy supply. It also underscores the value of collaboration, where aligning capacity, resources, and expertise leads to greater efficiency and better outcomes.
“We’re incredibly proud of how Dogger Bank is positively impacting energy production and resilience, and the report offers essential considerations for stakeholders developing offshore HVDC connections.”
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