Name of the Project
Dogger Bank Wind Farm.

Location
Each phase of the project will be located at least 130 km off the north-east coast of England, in the UK.

Dogger Bank C will connect to the national grid at the existing Lackenby substation, in Teesside.

Project Owner/s
Dogger Bank A and B are a joint venture between Equinor (40%), SSE Renewables (40%) and Eni (20%). These phases reached financial close in November 2020, securing the biggest-ever project financing in offshore wind.

The third phase, Dogger Bank C, is being developed on a different timescale and is owned by Equinor (50%) and SSE Renewables (50%). Financial Close is expected in late 2021.

Project Description
Dogger Bank is the world’s biggest offshore wind farm under development. When complete, it will be able to provide electricity for more than 4.5-million UK homes – about 5% of the UK’s electricity demand – using renewable electricity from the wind.

The wind farm will be constructed in three phases – Dogger Bank A (previously known as Creyke Beck A), Dogger Bank B (previously known as Creyke Beck B) and Dogger Bank C (previously known as Teesside A).

Each phase will have an installed generation capacity of up to 1.2 GW, providing a combined installed capacity of up to 3.6 GW.

Each project is expected to generate about 6 TWh/y of electricity.

innogy has taken full ownership of the project previously known as Teesside B, which has since been renamed Sofia Offshore Wind Farm.

Potential Job Creation
About 200 people will be needed to operate the wind farm, based either offshore or at a new base to be constructed at the Port of Tyne.

Capital Expenditure
The first phase will cost an estimated £9-billion to implement.

Planned Start/End Date
Consent for the project was granted in 2015.

Onshore construction for Dogger Bank A and B began in January 2020 and remains on track despite challenges presented by Covid-19. Offshore installation will begin in 2022, with the first power from Dogger Bank A expected in the same year.

The project is expected to be completed in 2026.

Latest Developments
UK-based North Star Renewables has been awarded contracts to deliver three service operation vessels (SOVs) for the operation of Phases A and B of the project. The total value of the contracts, including options, is estimated at about £270-million.

The three SOVs will incorporate the latest technology, including a hybrid battery solution and power-to-shore to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Technicians servicing the turbines will spend two weeks on board the high-tech vessels, more than 130 km off the North East coast of England, ensuring that the wind farm phases are safely and efficiently maintained to provide optimum wind turbine availability.

SSE Renewables is the operator during the construction phase of the wind farm and Equinor will be the operator during the operations and maintenance phase.

North Star will deliver one SOV – to be used for scheduled maintenance at Dogger Bank A and B – in January 2024, and will also serve Dogger Bank C when this phase of the wind farm is operational.

A further two SOVs will be delivered and used for corrective maintenance at Dogger Bank A and B. Delivery of these vessels is scheduled for July 2023 and July 2024 respectively.

A further contract for an SOV – to be used for corrective maintenance at Dogger Bank C – will be tendered at a later stage.

Each vessel will have dynamic positioning  capability, with walk-to-work gangways for safe transfer of personnel and equipment to and from the turbines. Using these gangways, technicians will be able to transfer safely in wave heights above 3 m, increasing the productive time on turbines and optimising wind farm availability.

All three contracts will run for a fixed period of ten years and include three one-year options.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
GE Renewable Energy (turbines); Jan De Nul Group (transport and installation of turbines); SSE Renewables (operator – construction phase); Equinor (operator – operations and maintenance phase); and North Star Renewables Stage (SOVs – Phase A and B).

Contact Details for Project Information
Forewind, email info@forewind.co.uk.