In the North Sea, turbines with blades longer than a football stadium rise above the waves – the result of trusted partnerships to unlock finance and local supply chains.
Around 80 miles off the coast of Yorkshire, England, Dogger Bank is the largest offshore wind project currently in construction globally. By the time its third phase is complete, in 2027, its 277 turbines will generate enough power for around six million British homes annually.
Stephen Wheeler is Managing Director of SSE Renewables, the lead operator for the project’s development and construction in a joint venture with Equinor and Vårgrønn. Wheeler emphasises the “extraordinary complexity” of the Dogger Bank project, and the “engineering, technical and human resilience needed to withstand the immense challenges that come with it”.
As one of the most ambitious and complex engineering and infrastructure projects on the planet, Dogger Bank is breaking real barriers for all other projects and developers to follow. Not only is it the first offshore wind farm to be built so far offshore, and in the harshest of marine conditions, Dogger Bank is using some of the largest wind turbines in the world (and was the first globally to use a 10MW-plus platform in an offshore environment). These turbines are being installed using the world’s first purpose-built and largest jack-up installation vessel.
Dogger Bank is also the first High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) connected wind farm in the UK due to its distance from shore, introducing new transmission systems to the UK and paving the way for other large offshore wind farms.
Delivering in the harshest of marine conditions has demanded “an unwavering commitment to safety,” says Wheeler. “Safety is part of who we are. Even during the delivery of world firsts, our commitment to safety and wellbeing has been uncompromising.”
Planning approval was granted in 2015 and the first power was generated in 2023. A major milestone in that period was the 2019 “Contracts for Difference” auction, which secured the project’s route to market.
An initiative of a UK government body, Contracts for Difference (CfD) enables renewable projects to bid for long-term contracts to deliver power. If the market price drops below the agreed price, CfD will make up the difference – while if the market price rises above the agreed price, the project will pay the difference back.
The CfD mechanism is intended to balance risks between taxpayers and investors, while giving investors confidence in a long-term income stream.
This view is echoed by UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks who describes clean homegrown power as “the right choice for families and industry” across the country, and wind power as “cheaper, cleaner and more secure than new gas – helping us bring down bills for good.”
Dogger Bank raised financing from 29 banks and three export credit agencies. That needed “strong and trusted collaboration”.
For SSE and its project partners, it was vital that Dogger Bank would deliver economic opportunity, energy security, and sustainable growth.
“We needed to demonstrate that renewable energy offers real and enduring economic value to consumers, to society and of course to the planet,” says Wheeler. “That’s why we prioritised the role Dogger Bank can play as a major economic catalyst for the UK, not just during its construction but throughout its entire lifetime of operation.”
This commitment is borne out by the publication this month of an independent report by economic consultants BVG Associates showing that Dogger Bank could boost the UK economy by £6.1bn and support thousands of UK jobs during its lifetime – driven by significant investment in UK companies. This investment is boosting local skills and employment and creating a pipeline of skilled workers.
In terms of hard numbers, this investment is delivering good local jobs right now. Of the 3,600 full-time equivalent jobs supported this year alone during construction, 1,500 are in the North-East region. Around 1,400 maintenance and operation jobs on average are expected to be supported each year throughout the wind farm’s 35-year planned operational phase, mostly highly skilled and with roles for trainees and apprentices.
Wheeler points to “the importance of clusters and the doors they can open. For instance Energi Coast, North-East England’s Offshore Wind Cluster, opened both actual and virtual doors for local suppliers, even during the pandemic, to connect Dogger Bank suppliers with sub-suppliers and so enable real, local investment.” Energi Coast comprises over 300 regional businesses and stakeholder organisations across the offshore wind supply chain.
Dogger Bank also hosted events to raise awareness of local supply chain investment opportunities by working with the North-East Technology Growth Programme and the Offshore Wind Industry Council’s UK Offshore Wind Supply Chain Investment Guide.
This impact has not gone unnoticed, with Energy Minister Michael Shanks hailing the efforts of the Dogger Bank team. “Offshore wind projects such as Dogger Bank will generate billions for the UK, while also delivering thousands of good jobs – showing once again that clean power is the economic opportunity of the 21st century.”
A proposed fourth phase for Dogger Bank is in development, with the potential to make the world’s biggest offshore wind farm even bigger, while SSE’s even larger project, the 4.1GW Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm off the coast of Scotland has been given the go ahead by the Scottish Government.
With Dogger Bank setting the global blueprint for a green industrial revolution that delivers real and lasting growth, Wheeler believes it’s critical the right market conditions are created to ensure future such projects can be delivered into the future.
Ultimately, concludes Wheeler, the global implications are urgent: “The world needs 2,000 Dogger Banks between now and 2030 to fight the climate and nature crisis.”
