World’s largest offshore wind farm produces power for the first time

The 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm is being constructed in UK waters 70 miles (130km) off the coast of Yorkshire, in three 1.2GW phases dubbed Dogger Bank A, B and C.

Power from the project’s first turbine is now being transmitted to the UK’s national grid via Dogger Bank’s high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system, marking the first-time use of HVDC technology on a UK wind farm.

Initial power followed the installation of the first of GE Vernova’s Haliade-X 13MW turbines at the Dogger Bank site, which will use a mix of 13 and 14 MW Haliade-X turbines to provide about five per cent of the UK’s electricity demand. Each rotation of the first turbine’s 107m long Haliade-X blades can produce enough energy to power an average home for two days.

Once completed, Dogger Bank’s 3.6GW capacity will comprise 277 offshore turbines that will deliver yearly CO2 savings equivalent to removing 1.5 million cars from the road, according to the provider.

On the progress of Dogger Bank, Rob Hunter, CEO of Igne, said: “What we have seen over the weekend is a fantastic step in the right direction and our industry now needs to capitalise on the positive movement and start working on a co-ordinated approach to future energy projects.”

Hunter continued: “We are calling for greater industry collaboration to get more sites in development, built and running if the UK is to ever stand any chance of hitting its net-zero ambitions.”

“Right now, the clean-energy movement is too fragmented, and the industry needs more of a centralised plan that companies can then work alongside to help deliver on the nation’s renewable targets.”

The project aims to reach full commercial operation in 2026; once complete, the site will occupy an area almost as large as Greater London, two and a half times the size of the largest offshore wind farm currently in operation.

SSE Renewables is lead operator for the development and construction of the wind farm. Equinor will be lead operator of the completed wind farm for its expected operational life of 35 years, and Vårgrønn has provided specialist offshore wind expertise.