Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm under construction, has started producing electricity for the first time.
The milestone followed the installation of the first of the 107-metre Haliade-X 13MW turbines at Dogger Bank A, which is located 70 nautical miles off the coast of Yorkshire. It marks the first use of high-voltage direct current technology on a UK wind farm.
The 3.6GW project is being constructed in three phases, which will eventually comprise 277 turbines.
Dogger Bank is being developed and built by the SSE Renewables in a joint venture with Norway’s Equinor and Vårgrønn (a joint venture of Eni Plenitude and HitecVision).
National Grid connected the wind farm after work to extend the Creyke Beck 400kV substation in Yorkshire.
Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE’s chief executive, said: “There’s been lots of talk about the need to build homegrown energy supplies, but we are taking action on a massive scale. Dogger Bank will provide a significant boost to UK energy security, affordability and leadership in tackling climate change. This is exactly how we should be responding to the energy crisis.
“But it is also a landmark moment for the global offshore wind industry, with Dogger Bank demonstrating just what can be achieved when policymakers, investors, industry, and communities work together to achieve something truly remarkable.
“The innovations this pioneering project has developed will also mean future developments can be built faster and more efficiently, accelerating the clean energy transition. Now, of course, the challenge is to accelerate the next wave of these projects and we look forward to working with governments to bring these forward as soon as possible.”
Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of Energy UK, said the UK could be proud of its long-standing commitment to offshore wind.
She added: “This £9 billion investment is not just reaffirming the UK’s global leadership in offshore wind energy, it is also creating thousands of jobs, demonstrating world-first innovation, building up the UK’s supply chain and benefitting the community around it.
“If we want to maintain this leading position, and all the benefits it brings to the UK economy, it’s vital that government works with industry to maximise capacity from the future Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation rounds in a manner that is reflective of the significant change of market conditions. The success of the future allocation rounds will be key to fully realising the massive opportunities for growth, jobs and clean energy – as well as boost our energy security.”