On the 10th of October, Dogger Bank Wind Farm announced it had produced power for the first time. Once complete, Dogger Bank, will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm with a capacity of 3.6GW. It is currently under construction and has an expected full commercial operation date of 2026. This is also the first time a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system has been implemented for a UK wind farm.

An Initial Milestone

Located 130km off the coast of Yorkshire, the Dogger Bank project will be constructed in three 1.2GW phases, A, B and C. This week’s announcement marks the first turbines at phase A becoming operational and generating electricity for British homes.

The turbines used are GE Vernona Haliade-X units, standing at 260 meters tall with a rated capacity of 13MW and powered by three 107-meter blades. This is the first time the Haliade-X turbines have been used offshore anywhere in the world. Similarly, it is the first time HVDC technology has been used on a UK wind farm. This is a move away from the more commonly used high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) transmission system.

Once fully complete Dogger Bank will comprise of 277 turbines. It will cover an area almost as large as Greater London, producing enough energy to power six million British homes annually. This will make it the world’s second-largest windfarm, second only to China’s Jiuquan Wind Power Base.

Multiple Players

Dogger Bank is being developed by a joint venture of Equinor, SSE Renewables and Vårgrønn. SSE Renewables serves as the primary operator during the development and construction phase. Equinor will take over as the lead operator for the wind farm’s anticipated 35-year operational lifespan. While Vårgrønn contributes it specialised offshore wind expertise to the project.

Rho’s Evaluation

Dogger Bank is the first…

To read the rest of the article, and for full access to our news and insights, log in to our Membership Platform. If you are not a Member, you can request a trial of the platform.

Image Credit: Adobe Stock