Page 35: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Mar/Apr 2021)

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Source: Aibel

Dogger Bank to supply 5%

An artist impression of an offshore wind farm with an Aibel convertor platform.

of UK electricity demand

Onshore works at the project began in 2020, while the offshore installation works at the

Dogger Bank are expected to start in 2022.

First power is expected in summer 2023 for

Dogger Bank A, and in and summer 2024 for Dogger Bank B and B, with commercial operations to follow around 6 months later.

Turbine installation for Dogger Bank C is expected to begin in 2025, with the overall wind farm expected to be completed in 2026.

According to SSE, when fully complete in 2026, Dogger Bank Wind Farm will produce enough renewable electricity to supply 5% of and 4x32 km of 320 kV DC onshore export power cables as UK demand and power up to six million homes well as installation by the 2017-built cable-laying vessel NKT each year.

Victoria, for which NKT says is “the world’s most advanced

SSE and Equinor in 2020 signed 15-year cable-laying vessel.” offtake Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)

The power cables will be manufactured in Karlskrona, Sweden. for the frst two phases of the Dogger Bank.

Among many frsts related to the Dogger Bank project, it is

Separate PPAs for a total of 2.4GW across worth mentioning that the Dogger Bank will be High Voltage both Dogger Bank Wind Farm A and B have

Direct Current (HVDC) connected wind farm in the UK due been concluded with external offtakers Ørsted to its distance from shore.

(40% share) and Shell Energy Europe Limited

For this, the Dogger Bank consortium have selected Aibel (20% share), and with sponsor offtakers and Hitachi ABB Power Grids to deliver offshore platforms

Danske Commodities (20% share) on behalf and associated transmission links for all three phases of the of Equinor, and SSE Energy Supply Limited project, the third being subject to an FID. (20% share) on behalf of SSE Renewables.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids will install its compact high-

Following the completion of the construction, voltage direct-current technology, called HVDC Light, for ef- the operatorship over the Dogger Bank wind fcient transmission to the project’s onshore grid connections in the East Riding of Yorkshire for Dogger Bank A and B, and farm will transfer from SSE to Equinor. Equinor on Teesside for Dogger Bank C. Aibel will build the offshore will then be lead operator of the wind farm for converter platforms. the duration of the wind farm’s operational “An HVDC connection will ensure the renewable energy phase of up to 35 years. being transmitted over the long distances from the Dogger

Worth noting, Equinor, known for years a

Bank offshore to the onshore grid connections in East Riding

Norway’s largest oil company, is working to and Teesside, which will be achieved effciently while mini- transform itself into a broader energy company, mizing losses,” Aibel and Hitachi ABB Power Grids explained.

with a goal to become “a global offshore wind

Italian offshore services giant Saipem will be responsible for major.” The company expects to increase its the installation of two offshore HVDC platforms for the frst current installed capacity to 12-16 GW, around two phases. Saipem will use its Saipem 7000 crane vessel to 30 times the current level, by 2035.

install the platform consisting of a 2,900-tonne jacket and a 8,500-tonne topside. march/April 2021 OFFSHORE ENGINEER 35