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New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
Once complete, Dogger Bank will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, although curiously sited in relatively shallow water. Brian Davis of New Energy World reports on this ambitious project, which will be capable of powering the equivalent of 6mn UK homes.
Dogger Bank wind farm is located on an isolated sandbank in the central and southern North Sea (famed in BBC weather reports). The project initially received a Development Consent Order in 2015 for development by Forewind, a consortium of SSE, Statoil (now Equinor), Statkraft and Innogy. Four phases were planned originally, split between Statoil and SSE for three phases, with RWE taking the fourth.
Subsequently the three-phase project, Dogger Bank A, B and C, each of 1.2 GW, became a joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables (40%,) Equinor (40%) and Vargronn (20%). SSE Renewables is leading the development, and Equinor will operate the wind farm on completion for its anticipated 35 years’ life.
Taking shape
Since consent, three phases have been developing. The Contract for Difference (CfD) was awarded in 2019. Funding was in place by 2020 through a combination of equity and debt finance; initially raising £6bn and topped up to £10bn by December 2022.