Triton Knoll offshore windfarm generates first power

Triton Knoll offshore windfarm has begun generating power following the commissioning of the transmission infrastructure for the 857MW array.

RWE began installing the 90 Vestas V164-9.5MW turbines that will make up the windfarm in January. The final turbine is expected to be commissioned later this year and the project fully completed in early 2022.

Tom Glover, chief commercial officer for RWE Renewables and RWE UK country chair, said: “Achieving first power at Triton Knoll reinforces our position as a leading player in offshore wind and demonstrates our commitment to helping deliver the UK’s ambition to grow offshore wind capacity to 40 gigawatts by 2030.

“Today’s milestone is the result of many years’ collaboration with our local and national supply chain partners, and local communities with whom we have worked hard to deliver local benefits, jobs and investments, while investing in new renewable energy for over 800,000 UK homes.”

The Triton Knoll windfarm is located around 32 kilometres off the coast of Lincolnshire and is jointly owned by RWE (59 per cent), J-Power (25 per cent) and Kansai Electric Power (16 per cent). RWE is leading both the construction and long-term operations and maintenance work on behalf of the partners, whose total planned investment amounts to roughly £2 billion.

The project secured a Contract for Difference (CfD) a strike price of £74.75/MWh (2012 prices) in the second competitive allocation round in September 2017.

RWE is at the advanced stages of developing the 1.4GW Sofia project at Dogger Bank, which obtained a CfD at the record-low strike price of £39.65/MWh in the following auction in September 2019.

It has also begun public consultations on extensions to the Gwynt y Mor, Galloper, Greater Gabbard and Rampion offshore windfarms that will have a combined capacity of 1.8GW and was recently awarded leasing rights for two further 1.5GW projects at Dogger Bank in the Crown Estate’s fourth offshore wind leasing round.