Around 400 power plants and a total power of 3.6 GW. British Dogger Bank Wind Farms will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Now the work has started.
The North Sea has long been the scene of energy with, among other things, more than 450 oil platforms. But as green alternatives develop, the sea has also been populated by wind turbines. And now the construction of the new record facility at Dogger’s banks has begun.
Those who have been in the business know that the waters around the UK consist of a pearl pawn of record parks. It demonstrates how fast technology development is progressing.
A record in the record book shows that when Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm’s 140 turbines came into operation in 2008, the facility won the title as the world’s largest offshore wind farm with its 500 MW. That era lasted for five years before the London Array with 175 turbines and 630 MW took over.
Another five years later, in 2018, a wind farm came in first place (certainly not in the North Sea, but in the Irish Sea). With its 87 turbines, Walney Extension has 659 MW. Together with the sister parks Walney 1 and 2, the total capacity is 1 GW.
Will provide 4.5 million homes with electricity
But that record will soon be lost to history. This is when Dogger Bank Wind Farm has now started to be built. The park is being built at Doggers banks 54 nautical miles, 100 km, east of the coast of England. In 2023, the park will be commissioned.
The wind farm consists of three parts that will have a total installed power of 3.6 GW. The turbines in the park consist of GE’s Haliade-X, which measures 260 meters from the sea surface to the tip of the leaf.
In a statement, SEE Renewables, which builds the park together with energy company Equinor, says Dogger Bank will supply around five percent of the UK’s energy needs, which is equivalent to the turbines being able to supply 4.5 million homes with electricity.
– Dogger Bank Wind Farms will play a critical role in Britain’s quest to reach zero emissions, says Steve Wilson, park manager
There are also more plans for Dogger’s banks and wind farms. Dutch electricity grid operator Tennet is planning an artificial island on the site in a consortium together with Energinet in Denmark, Tennet in Germany and Dutch Gasunie and Rotterdam port. On the island, wind turbines will be built to be delivered to five countries. New Technology has rewritten the plans earlier.
Dogger’s banks are a 17,600 square kilometer and nearly 300 kilometers long foundation. The area is on the continental shelf and is shared between the UK, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. Around the area it is 40 meters deep, while the bank itself is about 18 meters below sea level.