Dogger Bank South wind farm to progress after being awarded government contract
One of the world’s largest wind farms off the coast of Yorkshire is set to progress to the next stage of development after being granted a contract in the Government’s renewable energy auction.
The 3 gigawatt (GW) Dogger Bank South Wind Farm, which is being built in two 1.5GW sections, will be capable of generating enough power for around three million UK homes each year.
A development consent order for the project, off the coast of Bridlington, is expected in April this year, with commissioning work on the two farms to start in the early 2030s.
It is expected to support more than 1,500 jobs in the Humber during construction and a further 800 when the wind farm is up and running, adding £1bn in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy.
Markus Krebber, chief executive of RWE AG, one of the partners in the project alongside Masdar, said they were “proud to have secured Contracts for Difference”.
“This is an important milestone in the development of the Dogger Bank South projects and brings us significantly closer to their ultimate delivery,” he said.
“It demonstrates our long-term commitment to providing clean and affordable energy for the UK, supporting regional supply chains, skilled jobs, and contributing to the country’s energy security and net zero ambitions.”
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “This is a monumental result that sees major offshore wind projects like Dogger Bank South securing support from our flagship renewables auction, putting us firmly on track to meet our clean power mission and supporting thousands of jobs in the region.
“It also shows the kind of energy system we want to build for East Anglia and Yorkshire.
“By agreeing a price for offshore wind that is far lower than the cost of building new gas. Clean power is the right choice to get bills down for good.”
The project is one of six to receive a contract from the Government in its flagship clean energy auction, announced yesterday.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said a record 8.4 GW of offshore wind power was signed for.
DESNZ said the new projects would generate enough electricity to power 12m homes, deliver around £22bn in private investment, support 7,000 jobs and help the UK tackle the climate crisis.
The price for offshore wind was agreed at 40 per cent lower than the cost of building and operating a new gas power plant, according to a key industry metric.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “With these results, Britain is taking back control of our energy sovereignty.
“This is a historic win for those who want Britain to stand on our own two feet, controlling our own energy rather than depending on markets controlled by petrostates and dictators.”
Experts had said he would need to commission 8.4GW of new offshore wind capacity during the auction round to stay on track to meet the Government’s target of removing almost all fossil fuels from the UK’s electricity supply by 2030.