GE Renewable Energy has finalized the turbine supply and service and warranty contracts for the third and final phase of the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank C.
The turbine supply contract confirms that GE Renewable Energy will provide 87 units of the Haliade-X 14 MW offshore wind turbine, marking the first commercial commitment for this nameplate. The Haliade-X 14 MW is an upscaled version of the Haliade-X 13 MW, the most powerful offshore wind turbine in operation today. The contract is subject to financial close for Dogger Bank C which is expected late this year.
GE Renewable Energy expects to create up to 300 direct jobs during the installation of the three consecutive phases of Dogger Bank project, this number includes the 120 positions already announced that will be based in Teesside from Able Seaton Port in the U.K. In addition to the 120 jobs announced following the service and warranty contracts for Dogger Bank A and B, the company says it will add up to roughly 50 new operations and maintenance jobs to be based from the Port of Tyne for Dogger Bank C. This would represent a total of estimated 470 new skilled jobs created to support the Dogger Bank project.
Dogger Bank C is owned by SSE Renewables (50%) and Equinor (50%), while Dogger Bank A and B are owned by SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Eni (20%). As previously announced, Dogger Bank A and B phases will be the first to feature GE’s Haliade-X 13 MW, with a total of 190 to be installed. The confirmation of an additional order of 87 upscaled Haliade-X 14 MW turbines for Dogger Bank C brings the total number of Haliade-X units to be installed at Dogger Bank to a total of 277. The project is located over 130 km off the northeast coast of the U.K. and each phase will be able to produce 6 TWh of renewable electricity, totaling 18 TWh annually, when complete in 2026.
“We are delighted to have passed yet another milestone in our collaboration with Dogger Bank with the finalization of the supply and service contracts for Dogger Bank C,” says John Lavelle, president and CEO of GE Renewable Energy’s Offshore Wind Business. “Bringing the Haliade-X 14 MW to the third phase of the project proves that GE has the technology and know-how to address the fast-paced changes in the offshore industry. With all contracts signed, we are now looking forward to the next phases of our collaboration with Dogger Bank.”
GE Renewable Energy also recently announced its plans to open a new blade manufacturing plant in Teesside to support the growing offshore wind potential in the U.K. and Europe. The new plant will be dedicated to the production of the 107-meter blade, a key component of GE’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine and is expected to open in 2023. The new plant could create around 750 direct highly skilled jobs and up to 1,500 indirect jobs to support its activities.
GE Renewable Energy and Dogger Bank have also finalized the service and warranty contract for a five-year full-service agreement that will begin once the Dogger Bank C phase is commissioned in 2026. GE Renewable Energy has now finalized all contracts for the 3.6 GW offshore wind farm, due to become the largest offshore wind farm in the world upon completion.
Photo: GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X 14 MW offshore wind turbine
