Dogger Bank Capacity to Increase to 4.8GW
Planning approval for offshore wind energy has been issued at Dogger Bank, taking the total of consented projects in the North Sea zone to 4.8 gigawatts (GW), almost equal to all the offshore wind capacity currently in operation in the UK. The consented development, Dogger Bank Teesside A&B, is part of the Dogger Bank Zone, the largest of the Round 3 zones and the farthest from shore. It is also one of the shallowest zones, with high wind speeds and seabed conditions ideally suited to offshore wind development.
The consent approval of the 2.4GW Dogger Bank Teesside A&B development allows for two separate 1.2GW projects, each with up to 200 turbines installed across an area of around 600km2 and located 165 kilometres from the UK coast at the closest point.
The consent is offshore wind consortium Forewind’s second approval following that of Dogger Bank Creyke Beck in February. Both consented developments have a proposed installed capacity of 2.4GW making them the equal largest renewable energy applications ever to be approved in the UK, and together the world’s biggest planned offshore wind scheme.
The Dogger Bank Teesside A&B consent approval is the result of more than four years of comprehensive assessments, community and stakeholder consultation, and planning by the consortium, owned equally by the four international energy companies – RWE, SSE, Statkraft and Statoil. This work included the most extensive study of an offshore area ever undertaken by a wind energy developer, with more than GBP60 million spent on surveys, the vast majority going to UK-based contractors.
The power from Dogger Bank Teesside A&B will come to shore between Redcar and Marske-by-the–Sea, in Teesside and the nine kilometre onshore cable will connect into the national grid at the existing Lackenby Substation, adjacent to the Wilton International industrial complex.
Forewind general manager, Tarald Gjerde said that the planning approval has been achieved following extensive consultation with interested parties and a rigorous governmental review. Combined with the positive seabed survey results and strong wind measurements, the consent confirms Dogger Bank’s suitability for large-scale offshore wind development.
As part of the consent process a final six-week legal challenge period will now be undertaken.
Image: Dogger Bank Teesside A&B.
