As the world feels the impact of the energy crisis, the UK doubles down on offshore wind to reduce its exposure to the crisis.
This week saw another series of warnings of oil supply, with global inventories reaching critically low levels, and the Strait of Hormuz bottleneck seen to have no immediate end in sight.
Additionally, our analysis found that in early May, all the main global gas benchmarks rose for a fifth consecutive week, adding to volatile gas prices.
But as the oil and gas crisis intensifies globally, in the UK, it is hoped that more homegrown clean energy will make the country less vulnerable to such shocks and enhance energy security.
These projects will provide up to four gigawatts of new offshore wind capacity, equivalent to a quarter of the UK’s entire current offshore wind fleet.
Tara Singh, CEO RenewableUK
Gigawatts of new clean energy capacity
The government announced they have given the green light for three new major offshore wind farms.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband approved the three major offshore wind farms, with a combined total of up to four GW of new wind power capacity.
Two of the offshore wind projects are extensions to the already existing Dogger Bank offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank South East and Dogger Bank South West – each projected to add 1.5 GW of new capacity and developed by RWE and Masdar. The third one, North Falls, is expected to add in the region of 1 GW and is being developed by RWE and SSE Renewables.
A milestone for the UK’s offshore wind sector
Unsurprisingly, the renewable energy trade body, RenewableUK, reacted positively to the announcement by the Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (DESNZ), its CEO, Tara Singh, saying:
“This is a milestone moment for the development of offshore wind in the UK. These projects will provide up to four gigawatts of new offshore wind capacity, equivalent to a quarter of the UK’s entire current offshore wind fleet. That’s enough to power over four million homes a year.”
The approved wind farms at a glance
- Dogger Bank South East – estimated capacity of 1.5 GW
- Dogger Bank South West – estimated capacity of 1.5 GW
- North Falls – estimated capacity of 1 GW
The Dogger Bank offshore wind farm extensions, Dogger Bank South East and Dogger Bank South West, are to be located 100km off the northeast English coastline, and North Falls 40 km off the East Anglia coastline.
Singh explained that these projects are also a strong catalyst for growing the economy and job creation, adding:
“These projects will draw in billions of pounds of private investment in vital new clean energy infrastructure and create hundreds of new jobs during their development, construction and operation, as well as fresh opportunities for UK supply chain companies”.
The Dogger Bank complex
Dogger Bank is described as either one giant wind farm installed in different phases or several individual offshore wind farms.
Dogger Bank A was the first to be consented to in 2015, followed by B, C and Sofia. Another proposal that is still to be decided upon is Dogger Bank D.
In 2023, the first electricity generated from Dogger Bank was connected to the grid.
Anders Lorenzen is the founding Editor of A greener life, a greener world.
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