World’s largest offshore wind farm expands capacity

Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm with a capacity of 3.6 GW, is set to expand after contractors SSE and Equinor submitted a scoping report for phase D of the project. The latest move will increase the project’s capacity by 2 GW, Interesting Engineering reported on June 28.

As countries around the world look for cleaner ways to meet their energy needs, renewable sources such as wind and solar are being widely deployed. For the UK, with limited land and sunlight, offshore wind projects are easier to develop, allowing them to tap into the strong winds of the North Sea. While the Dogger Bank wind farm is still in its third phase of construction, developers are seeking permission for a fourth phase to increase its power generation capacity.

Located 200km off the Yorkshire coast, the Dogger Bank project is a cluster of offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Each phase of the project has a capacity of 1.2 GW, using GE’s Halide wind turbine series, with a maximum capacity of 14.7 MW. A total of 277 turbines will be installed in the first three phases of the project, providing a total capacity of 3.6 GW. When operating at full capacity, the project can meet the electricity needs of 6 million households in the UK.

The project first started producing electricity last October. However, the timeframe for completing the first three phases extends to 2025. While construction activities on the previous phases of the Dogger Bank project continue, contractors SSE Renewables and Equinor have begun standardizing prepared for phase D. During this phase, wind turbine construction will cause the Dogger Bank project to expand 210 km away from the coastal area. According to the plan, Dogger Bank will connect to Birkhill Wood substation in East Riding, Yorkshire.

Contractors are seeking construction permits from The Crown Estate, the seabed authority for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. If licensed, phase D will have a capacity of 2 GW when completed, significantly increasing the capacity of the wind farm.