Dogger Bank Wind Farm and GE Renewable Energy have today, 22 September, announced contracts confirming the 13MW Haliade-X turbine for the Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B phases of the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
The contract award, which is subject to Dogger Bank A and B reaching Financial Close, includes an order for 190 Haliade-X 13MW offshore wind turbines to be installed off the north-east coast of England, split evenly at 95 turbines for each of the first two phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
The installation of these turbines will be the first time ever a 13MW Haliade-X is installed in the world. One spin of the Haliade-X 13MW can generate enough electricity to power a UK household for more than two days.
As part of the agreement GE Renewable Energy will establish its marshaling harbour activities at Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool which will serve as the base for turbine service equipment, installation and commissioning activities for Dogger Bank A and B.
This will see the delivery of component parts for each of GE’s Haliade-X 13MW wind turbines to the specialist port, including the nacelle, three tower sections and three 107m long blades, for pre-assembly on-site at Able Seaton prior to transport out to the North Sea for installation. This activity will lead to the creation of 120 skilled jobs at the port during construction. Turbine installation is expected to commence in 2023 at Dogger Bank A.
Today’s contract announcement also includes a five-year Service and Warranty agreement supporting operational jobs in the maintenance of the wind farm. This agreement for Dogger Bank phases A and B will account for around 120 out of the total 200 long term jobs (previously announced) that will be based out of the Port of Tyne where the wind farm’s new Operations and Maintenance base will be located. GE’s Service team will be co-located with the Dogger Bank Operational and Maintenance team at Port of Tyne.
This brings the total number of jobs in the North East associated with the development and operation of Dogger Bank Wind Farm to 320 so far.
Recruitment activity is expected to begin in early 2021, and job roles will be advertised closer to the time by GE and by Dogger Bank via the Dogger Bank website and social media channels.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a joint venture between SSE Renewables, who are leading the construction of the wind farm, and Equinor, who will operate the 3.6GW project during its lifetime of at least 25-years.
The project 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. Due to its size and scale, the site is being built in three consecutive phases; Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C. Each project is expected to generate around 6TWh of electricity annually.
Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said: “I am thrilled to see so many green jobs on the way to the North East of England thanks to our world-leading offshore wind industry.
“Projects like Dogger Bank are absolutely crucial to building back greener from the coronavirus pandemic – creating jobs, growing the economy and tackling climate change. I look forward to watching its progress in the months and years ahead.”
Steve Wilson, Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s Project Director at SSE Renewables, said: “Signing the contract with GE Renewable Energy is not just great news for Dogger Bank and GE, but for the wider offshore wind industry, marking the first time a 13MW turbine will be installed in the world.
“In addition to this, today’s announcement will bring huge economic benefits to the North East of England, where 120 skilled jobs will be created during construction of the windfarm, along with 120 skilled jobs during the maintenance phase.
“These turbines are a true testament of how hard the offshore wind industry is working to continually innovate and drive down costs and we look forward to working with GE Renewable Energy to help us deliver the largest offshore wind farm in the world.”
Peter Stephenson, ABLE UK’s Executive Chairman, commented: “We have enjoyed a long and constructive relationship with GE Renewable Energy culminating in today’s announcement – it’s a massive vote of confidence for the company and the UK. Our sustained investment at Able Seaton Port means we can provide a bespoke and tailor-made solution for Dogger Bank.
“We are delighted that 120 skilled jobs will be based here at the Port, in this exciting and growing industry. The offshore wind sector will increase four-fold by 2030 through the Sector Deal, and with the increasingly demanding targets for low carbon power generation, there is an unparalleled level of market visibility. Combine this with the sectors’ extraordinary efforts in terms of developing new products and significantly reducing costs, this industry is set to become a dominant factor in a post Covid 19 UK economy.”
The Haliade-X 13MW turbine is an enhanced version of the successful 12MW prototype unit which has been generating power in Rotterdam since November 2019 and recently secured its provisional type certificate* from DNV-GL. This prototype unit, which set a world record in January 2020 by being the first wind turbine to produce 288MWh in one day, will start operating at 13MW in the coming months as part of its ongoing testing and certification process. The uprated 13MW Haliade-X will continue to feature 107-meter long blades and a 220-meter rotor.
John Lavelle, President & CEO, Offshore Wind at GE Renewable Energy, said: “We are delighted to take the next step in developing the most advanced proven technology in the market. At GE, innovation is in our DNA, and that is why we continue to innovate, enhance and develop the Haliade-X platform to meet market demands to deliver offshore wind as a competitive and affordable source of renewable energy. In signing these orders with Dogger Bank, our Haliade-X technology will now have an important role to play in the UK’s offshore wind ambitions (40GW by 2030) and greenhouse emission reduction to “net-zero” by 2050.”
Halfdan Brustad, vice president for Dogger Bank at Equinor, said: “We want Dogger Bank to be a flagship project that leads the way in both digitalisation and innovative technology, so it is a great honour to confirm that this project will be the first in the world to use these powerful wind turbines.
“The sheer scale of Dogger Bank brings huge opportunities to the UK. As well as being home to the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the North East will benefit from hundreds of jobs and local supply chain opportunities. We look forward to working with our partners and suppliers to build up a skilled team in the area, to operate and maintain these turbines for the lifetime of the wind farm, from our new base which will be constructed at the Port of Tyne.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm and its appointed Tier 1 Contractors are committed to supporting the development and growth of a competitive UK supply chain and are holding a series of “Meet the Buyer” webinars throughout September. The events are free to attend and will give businesses of all sizes, across a wide range of disciplines, a chance to meet with the Dogger Bank project team and Tier 1 contractors to explore opportunities to provide products and services to the world’s biggest offshore wind construction project.
Dogger Bank’s three projects, Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C, secured 3.6GW of offshore wind contracts in the UK Government’s 2019 contracts for difference auctions.
Today’s news follows last year’s announcement naming GE as the preferred turbine supplier for Dogger Bank Wind Farm A and B. This contract with GE Renewable Energy is subject to joint venture partners SSE Renewables and Equinor reaching Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, expected in late 2020.
* IECRE Provisional RNA Component Certificate
Facts
- Dogger Bank Wind Farm, the largest wind farm in the world under construction, has confirmed GE’s 13MW Haliade-X as the turbine powering the first two phases of the project
- Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool, UK confirmed as marshalling base for service equipment, installation and commissioning activities – with the creation of 120 new skilled jobs during the construction phase
- A further 120 skilled jobs to be based offshore and at the Port of Tyne for Operations and Maintenance of the wind turbines
- Recruitment to start in early 2021 with turbine installation due to begin in 2023 at Dogger Bank A
- The announcement represents the largest single order ever for offshore wind turbines, confirming 190 turbines for Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B
- 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
About the wind turbines
- GE’s Haliade-X turbine has a 220m rotor covering a swept area of 38,000 m2 – that’s three times bigger than the London Eye!
- One blade measures 107m in length – double the wing-span of The Angel of the North.
- One rotation of the Haliade-X 13MW blades can power one UK home for more than two days.
- To install the turbines, the project will use the world’s largest jack-up installation vessel, Jan De Nul’s Voltaire. The vessel is taller than the Eiffel Tower, has a lifting capacity of 3000 tonnes and is entering into service in 2022.
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 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.
Able Seaton Port (ASP) is a 51 hectare (126 acre) site and has some of the strongest quays in Europe which have been constructed particularly to suit the requirements of the offshore energy sector.
ASP has the capacity to handle virtually all offshore vessels that are operating in the North Sea. ASP has large mobile harbour and crawler cranes already available along with self-propelled mobile transporters (SPMTs) and other plant and equipment to handle offshore wind components.
In 2018 ASP provided the installation base and all onshore handling activities for the Hornsea One offshore wind farm foundation package. In the 12 months from mid-September 2020, ASP will be the installation base for the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm turbine package.
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 and has an onshore wind pipeline across both markets in excess of 1GW.
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.
About GE Renewable Energy
GE Renewable Energy is a $15 billion business which combines one of the broadest portfolios in the renewable energy industry to provide end-to-end solutions for our customers demanding reliable and affordable green power. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts of clean renewable energy and equipped more than 90 percent of utilities worldwide with its grid solutions. With nearly 40,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy creates value for customers seeking to power the world with affordable, reliable and sustainable green electrons.
