Giant 13MW turbine chosen to power first two phases of Dogger Bank

SSE Renewables and Equinor have chosen an upgraded 13MW version of GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X turbine to power the first two phases the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm.

The array is set to become the world’s largest offshore windfarm once completed in 2026, with 3.6GW of generation capacity split across three equally sized phases.  SSE and Equinor have ordered 95 turbines for each of the first two – Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B.

The 13MW turbine is an enhanced version of the 12MW prototype that has been undergoing trials in Rotterdam since November 2019. The nacelle and blades are also being put through their paces at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult’s test centre in Blyth.

The Dogger Bank project will see the first ever commercial deployment of the 13MW version, which will continue to feature a 220-metre wide rotor comprised of three 107-metre-long blades. The turbines will be capable of generating enough electricity to power a typical UK household for more than two days with each full turn. The prototype at Rotterdam will begin operating at this higher rating within the coming months as part its ongoing testing and certification process.

The first turbine installations for Dogger Bank are expected to begin in 2023. GE Renewable Energy has confirmed that the Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool will serve as its marshalling base during construction and commissioning, which will see the creation of 120 new jobs.

Energy minister Kwasi Kwarteng commented: “I am thrilled to see so many green jobs on the way to the North East of England thanks to our world-leading offshore wind industry.

“Projects like Dogger Bank are absolutely crucial to building back greener from the coronavirus pandemic – creating jobs, growing the economy and tackling climate change. I look forward to watching its progress in the months and years ahead.”

Dogger Bank is joint venture between SSE Renewables, which is leading the construction, and Equinor, which will operate the windfarm over its 25-year life. The array will be located around 130 kilometres off the coast of north east England and around 120 long term jobs will also be created at the new operations and maintenance base at the Port of Tyne.

Steve Wilson, the project director at SSE Renewables, said: “Signing the contract with GE Renewable Energy is not just great news for Dogger Bank and GE, but for the wider offshore wind industry, marking the first time a 13MW turbine will be installed in the world.

“In addition to this, today’s announcement will bring huge economic benefits to the North East of England, where 120 skilled jobs will be created during construction of the windfarm, along with 120 skilled jobs during the maintenance phase.

“These turbines are a true testament of how hard the offshore wind industry is working to continually innovate and drive down costs and we look forward to working with GE Renewable Energy to help us deliver the largest offshore wind farm in the world.”

GE had already been selected as the preferred bidder for the project in October last year. The agreement is subject a final investment decision by SSE and Equinor which is expected to be made in late 2020.

The Dogger Bank project was originally developed by the Forewind consortium, which also included RWE and Statkraft alongside SSE and Equinor. It was at one point expected to deliver 9GW of capacity across eight phases although four of these were eventually abandoned.

The fourth of the remaining phases is now being developed separately by RWE as the Sofia offshore wind farm. Both Dogger Bank and Sofia picked up Contracts for Difference in the latest auction round in 2019 at strike prices of around £40/MWh (2012 prices). In June, Siemens Gamesa’s newly unveiled 14MW turbine was selected to power the 1.4GW Sofia project.