GE-RENEWABLE-ENERGY

Dogger Bank Wind Farms, which is developing what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm when built, has today unveiled GE Renewable Energy as its preferred turbine supplier.

Under the new deal, GE Renewable Energy will supply Dogger Bank with its next generation of offshore technology, the ground-breaking Haliade-X turbine, bringing the world’s most powerful wind turbine to the world’s largest wind farm. The final number of turbines to be installed at Dogger Bank will be confirmed in due course.

Dogger Bank Wind Farms is a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between Equinor and SSE Renewables. The overall wind farm comprises three 1.2GW projects located in the North Sea, approximately 130km from the UK’s Yorkshire Coast. The projects were recently successful in the latest Contracts for Difference (CfDs) Allocation Round, the UK Government’s auction for renewable power.

SSE Renewables will lead the development and construction phases of Dogger Bank and Equinor will lead on operations once completed.

Paul Cooley, Director of Capital Projects at SSE Renewables, said: “The joint Equinor and SSE Renewables project team on Dogger Bank is excited to work with GE Renewable Energy to introduce the next generation of offshore wind turbine to the UK, and to be the first European wind farm to install and operate these innovative turbines. Dogger Bank will now be home to the largest offshore wind turbines in the world and to this pioneering low carbon technology, which will play a central role in helping the UK become carbon neutral by 2050.”

Dogger Bank Wind Farms Project Director, Bjørn Ivar Bergemo, said: “Our success in the CfD auction was due in large part to the relationships we have built with our supply chain, which enabled the lowest ever strike prices. The Haliade-X represents a step change in turbine technology, and we look forward to working with GE Renewable Energy to maximise innovation and supply chain benefits for the UK.”

The Dogger Bank projects will have a combined capacity of up to 3.6GW, making it the largest wind farm in the world. It will be able to provide enough clean, low-carbon energy to power over 4.5 million homes annually, equivalent to around 5% of the UK’s estimated electricity generation.

The projects are expected to trigger approximately £9bn of capital investment between 2020 and 2026 into much needed low carbon infrastructure and delivering substantial economic benefits to the UK.

John Lavelle, President and CEO, Offshore Wind, GE Renewable Energy, said: “We are very excited to announce this agreement as it gives us the opportunity to bring the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine to the world’s largest offshore wind market. We have an important role to play in the UK’s offshore wind ambitions and in delivering further carbon emission reductions. Our Haliade-X technology is helping our customers to make offshore wind a more competitive source of clean and renewable energy by reducing the levelized cost of energy (LCOE).”

The Dogger Bank projects will now progress towards a financial investment decision by the end of 2020, after which there will be confirmation of GE Renewable Energy as turbine supplier.

Onshore construction is expected to commence in early 2020, and first energy generation is expected in 2023. Dogger Bank Wind Farms is currently preparing for the commencement of onshore works, alongside plans to hold events for local residents and the potential supply chain.

For further information on the projects, visit: www.doggerbankwindfarms.com

About Dogger Bank Wind Farms:

• Consent was granted in 2015.
• Located in the North Sea, approximately 130km from the Yorkshire Coast.
• Water depth ranges from 20m to 35m.
• Each project will have an installed capacity of 1.2GW and will be able to power 1.5 million homes. Together, the projects can cover approximately 5% of the UK’s estimated electricity generation.
• The first project is expected to be operational in 2023.
• The WTGs will be installed on monopile foundations.
• The transmission system will be High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) due to long distance to grid connection point.
• The Contract for Difference is a 15-year contract which will be indexed for inflation. The strike price will be paid for every MWh generated by the wind farms during the contract. After the CfD contract ends, the projects will receive the market price for electricity.

About Haliade-X platform

GE Renewable Energy has designed the Haliade-X platform to grow with the market. Today’s most powerful offshore wind turbine has a 12 MW generator and 220m rotor that will reduce the offshore wind levelized cost of energy (LCOE). The Haliade-X is capable of transforming more wind into power than any other offshore wind turbine in the industry, making offshore wind a more competitive source of energy.

About SSE Renewables

SSE Renewables is the leading renewable energy company across the UK and Ireland, with a portfolio of around 4GW of onshore wind, offshore wind and hydro. Part of the FTSE-listed SSE plc, its strategy is to drive the transition to a zero-carbon future through the world class development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets.

SSE Renewables owns nearly 2GW of onshore wind capacity with over 1GW under development. Its 1,450MW hydro portfolio includes 300MW of pumped storage and 750MW of flexible hydro. Its offshore wind portfolio consists of 580MW across three offshore sites, two of which it operates on behalf of its joint venture partners. SSE Renewables has the largest offshore wind development pipeline in the UK and Ireland at over 7GW.

About Equinor

Equinor is developing as a broad energy company, building a material position in renewable energy. Equinor now powers more than one million European homes with renewable offshore wind from four offshore wind farms in the United Kingdom and Germany. Equinor is building material offshore wind clusters in the UK, the US North East and in the Baltics. The company commissioned the world’s first floating offshore wind farm in 2017 off the coast of Scotland and is positioned for future floating wind options in several geographies, including UK, Norway and Asia.

About GE Renewable Energy

GE Renewable Energy is a $15 billion business which combines one of the broadest portfolios in the renewable energy industry to provide end-to-end solutions for our customers demanding reliable and affordable green power. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts of clean renewable energy and equipped more than 90 percent of utilities worldwide with its grid solutions. With nearly 40,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy creates value for customers seeking to power the world with affordable, reliable and sustainable green electrons.

Follow us at www.ge.com/renewableenergy , on www.linkedin.com/company/gerenewableenergy , or on www.twitter.com/GErenewables .

For more information about the Haliade-X: https://www.ge.com/renewableenergy/wind-energy/offshore-wind/haliade-x-offshore-turbine

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