Dogger Bank to Use 12MW Haliade-X Offshore Wind Turbines from GE

Dogger Bank Wind Farms, which is developing what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm when built, announced GE Renewable Energy as its preferred turbine supplier.

Under the new deal, GE Renewable Energy will supply Dogger Bank with its next generation of offshore technology, the ground-breaking Haliade-X turbine, bringing the world’s most powerful wind turbine to the world’s largest wind farm. The final number of turbines to be installed at Dogger Bank will be confirmed in due course.

Dogger Bank Wind Farms is a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between Equinor and SSE Renewables. The overall wind farm comprises three 1.2 GW projects located in the North Sea, approximately 130km from the UK’s Yorkshire Coast. The projects were recently successful in the latest Contracts for Difference (CfDs) Allocation Round, the UK Government’s auction for renewable power.

SSE Renewables will lead the development and construction phases of Dogger Bank and Equinor will lead on operations once completed.

“The joint Equinor and SSE Renewables project team on Dogger Bank is excited to work with GE Renewable Energy to introduce the next generation of offshore wind turbine to the UK, and to be the first European wind farm to install and operate these innovative turbines. Dogger Bank will now be home to the largest offshore wind turbines in the world and to this pioneering low carbon technology, which will play a central role in helping the UK become carbon neutral by 2050,” Paul Cooley, Director of Capital Projects at SSE Renewables, said.

“Our success in the CfD auction was due in large part to the relationships we have built with our supply chain, which enabled the lowest ever strike prices. The Haliade-X represents a step change in turbine technology, and we look forward to working with GE Renewable Energy to maximise innovation and supply chain benefits for the UK,”

Dogger Bank Wind Farms Project Director, Bjørn Ivar Bergemo, added.

The Dogger Bank projects will have a combined capacity of up to 3.6 GW, making it the largest wind farm in the world. It will be able to provide enough clean, low-carbon energy to power over 4.5 million homes annually, equivalent to around 5% of the UK’s estimated electricity generation.

The projects are expected to trigger approximately £9bn of capital investment between 2020 and 2026 into much needed low carbon infrastructure and delivering substantial economic benefits to the UK.

“We are very excited to announce this agreement as it gives us the opportunity to bring the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine to the world’s largest offshore wind market. We have an important role to play in the UK’s offshore wind ambitions and in delivering further carbon emission reductions. Our Haliade-X technology is helping our customers to make offshore wind a more competitive source of clean and renewable energy by reducing the levelized cost of energy (LCOE),” John Lavelle, President and CEO, Offshore Wind, GE Renewable Energy, mentioned.

The Dogger Bank wind farm will consist of three projects, Creyke Beck A, Creyke Beck B and Teesside A.

The clearing prices for the projects are GBP 39.650 per MWh for Creyke Beck A and GBP 41.611 per MWh for the Creyke Beck B and the Teesside A projects (all in 2012 real prices).

The auction results reflect the continued cost reductions and technological developments and the increasing competitiveness of bottom-fixed offshore wind. The contracts offer a fixed price for the first 15 years of operation, providing the projects with a long-term predictable revenue stream.

“The successful bids for the world’s largest offshore wind development represent a game-changer for our offshore wind business and support the development of Equinor as a broad energy company. A full-scale development of Dogger Bank will constitute an industrial wind hub in the heart of the North Sea, playing a major role in the UK’s ambitions for offshore wind and supporting the net zero ambition. Excellent wind speeds, shallow waters and scale make Dogger Bank well positioned to deliver low cost renewable electricity to UK homes and businesses,” said Eldar Sætre, CEO of Equinor.

“Dogger Bank, together with the recent award for Empire Wind in the US, positions Equinor as an offshore wind major. These projects provide economies of scale and synergies, making us an even stronger competitive force in offshore wind globally. We expect the cost reductions obtained by the industry through continuous project execution and technological innovation will contribute to continued value enhancement,” underlined executive vice president for New Energy Solutions in Equinor, Pål Eitrheim.

“We are thrilled at the success of our offshore wind projects at Dogger Bank which combined will be the largest wind farm in the world. Reaching this point has been a culmination of over 10 years of development and it is very exciting to work with Equinor on taking the project forward. We’re confident our wealth of offshore wind experience will enable us to deliver these unique projects. This success demonstrates that offshore wind is the key technology to enable the UK to become carbon neutral by 2050 in the most cost-effective way, whilst also delivering significant economic benefits across the country”, added Jim Smith, Managing Director of SSE Renewables.

The joint venture will be seeking non-recourse project financing to fund the Dogger Bank development. A preliminary market sounding of potential lenders has demonstrated very strong interest for UK offshore wind assets.

The partners are planning for final investment decision for the first project during 2020 and first power generation is planned for 2023. Further phases of the Dogger Bank project will be developed thereafter.

The joint venture has selected SSE as the lead operator during the project construction phase and Equinor the lead operator for operations. Both companies will second personnel into the execution and operations teams.

The Dogger Bank projects will now progress towards a financial investment decision by the end of 2020, after which there will be confirmation of GE Renewable Energy as turbine supplier.

Onshore construction is expected to commence in early 2020, and first energy generation is expected in 2023. Dogger Bank Wind Farms is currently preparing for the commencement of onshore works, alongside plans to hold events for local residents and the potential supply chain.