A monumental stride was achieved over the weekend in offshore wind energy. The Dogger Bank Wind Farm—heralded as the planet's largest such facility—successfully commenced the export of electricity to the UK's national grid. The significant accomplishment marks a new chapter in the ongoing tale of the United Kingdom's burgeoning offshore wind sector.
The news was broken earlier today by SSE, Equinor, and Vårgrønn, the consortium of companies steering this groundbreaking venture. In a precise, almost poetic moment at 8:37 pm last Saturday, the first mega turbines that populate the initial phase of the Dogger Bank initiative began humming to life, sending electric power to the mainland.
The turbine—a mammoth GE Vernova Haliade-X with an awe-inspiring capacity of 13MW—channelled the electricity via a High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission line. Notably, this marks the debut of HVDC tech in the UK's wind energy landscape. Situated 130 kilometres offshore, the transmission carried power in a manner as efficient as it is novel.
The companies, visibly delighted, elaborated on the Haliade-X turbine's energy output. A rotation of its blades, each with a span of 107 meters, produces enough energy to light up an average home for two days. Let that sink in.
Looking ahead, the 1.2GW Dogger Bank A wind farm is merely the vanguard of a much grander plan. Two more wind farms are already on the drawing board in the Dogger Bank zone, bringing the potential total capacity to a staggering 3.6GW—equivalent to juicing up six million homes. Plus, the green energy produced will substantially curb yearly CO2 emissions, akin to taking 1.5 million cars off the streets.
The announcement was welcomed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said the flagship project provided evidence of how "offshore wind is critical to generating renewable, efficient energy that can power British homes from British seas".
"I'm proud that this country is already a world leader in reaching net zero by 2050, and by doubling down on the new green industries of the future, we'll get there in a way that's both pragmatic and ambitious," he said. "That's why it's fantastic to see the world's largest wind farm, Dogger Bank, generating power for the first time today from UK waters, which will not only bolster our energy security but create jobs, lower electricity bills and keep us on track for net zero."
Alistair Phillips-Davies, chief executive of SSE, said the project would significantly boost UK energy security.
"There's been lots of talk about the need to build homegrown energy supplies, but we are taking action on a massive scale," he said. "Dogger Bank will provide a significant boost to UK energy security, affordability and leadership in tackling climate change. This is exactly how we should be responding to the energy crisis.
"But it is also a landmark moment for the global offshore wind industry, with Dogger Bank demonstrating just what can be achieved when policymakers, investors, industry, and communities work together to achieve something truly remarkable."
He added that the project provided further evidence of how developers are capable of delivering large-scale offshore wind projects at pace and scale, as he called for an acceleration in the next wave of projects following the failure of the government's most recent clean power auction.
"The innovations this pioneering project has developed will also mean future developments can be built faster and more efficiently, accelerating the clean energy transition," he said. "Now, of course, the challenge is to accelerate the next wave of these projects, and we look forward to working with governments to bring these forward as soon as possible."
He also issued a clarion call for accelerating future initiatives, especially after the recent snub that offshore wind projects received in the government's latest clean power auction. "Dogger Bank has shown us what's possible. It's high time to double down and fast-track the next wave of projects."
On the contractual side, Dogger Bank A clinched a 15-year agreement via the 2018 Contract for Difference (CfD) auction, locking in a strike price of £39.65/MWh, adjusted for 2012 values and indexed to CPI, for the delivery period of 2023/24.
Yet clouds linger on the horizon. The latest clean power auction was notably devoid of offshore wind bids, triggered by the government's reluctance to adjust reserve prices amidst inflationary pressures. This has led industry insiders to sound alarms over potential stagnation in offshore wind development if the government fails to recalibrate its pricing strategy. However, advocates of wind energy stress that even with elevated costs, offshore wind still trounces other large-scale energy sources like gas and nuclear in terms of economic viability.
Anders Opedal, CEO of Equinor, said the Dogger Bank project "demonstrates the best of what the offshore wind industry can offer, with innovative technologies, long-term jobs and economic growth and security of electricity supply at a major scale".
"A renewable mega-project like Dogger Bank constitutes 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 its net zero ambitions," he added. "First power from Dogger Bank is a testament to the collaboration between the authorities, the project partners, suppliers and our host communities to realise this project."