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Press Release

GE Renewable Energy launches the uprated Haliade-X 13 MW wind turbine for the UK’s Dogger Bank Wind Farm

September 21, 2020
  • GE Renewable Energy to supply 190 Haliade-X turbines for Dogger Bank A and B
  • The project will be first in the world to feature the 13 MW variant of GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X platform
  • GE confirms marshaling harbor activities at Able Seaton in Hartlepool will create around 120 jobs, and service activities from the Port of Tyne will create around 120 jobs

Paris, September 22nd 2020 - GE Renewable Energy announced today that it has finalized supply contracts (subject to final notification to proceed) with Dogger Bank Wind Farm (a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Renewables and Equinor) for the first two phases of what will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm. These first two phases (Dogger Bank A & B) will each feature 95 Haliade-X 13 MW wind turbines.

The agreements will include a total of 190 units of the 13 MW Haliade-X wind turbine, and a five-year Service & Warranty agreement to provide operational support for the wind turbines. GE’s Service team will be co-located with the Dogger Bank Operational and Maintenance team, based out of the Port of Tyne.

The Haliade-X 13 MW is an enhanced version of the successful 12 MW unit which has been operating in Rotterdam since November 2019 and which recently secured its provisional type certificate§ from DNV-GL. The uprated 13 MW Haliade-X will also feature 107-meter long blades and 220-meter rotor. One spin of the Haliade-X 13 MW can generate enough electricity to power a UK household for more than two days.

John Lavelle, President & CEO, Offshore Wind at GE Renewable Energy, said, “We are delighted to take the next step in developing the most advanced proven technology in the market. At GE, innovation is in our DNA, and that is why we continue to innovate, enhance and develop the Haliade-X platform to meet market demands to deliver offshore wind as a competitive and affordable source of renewable energy. In signing these agreements with Dogger Bank, our Haliade-X technology will now have an important role to play in the UK’s offshore wind ambitions (40GW by 2030) and greenhouse emission reduction to “net-zero” by 2050.”

Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said: “I am thrilled to see so many green jobs on the way to the North East of England thanks to our world-leading offshore wind industry. Projects like Dogger Bank are absolutely crucial to building back greener from the coronavirus pandemic – creating jobs, growing the economy and tackling climate change. I look forward to watching its progress in the months and years ahead.”

Peter Stephenson, ABLE UK’s Executive Chairman, commented: “We have enjoyed a long and constructive relationship with GE Renewable Energy culminating in today’s announcement – it’s a massive vote of confidence for the company and the UK. Our sustained investment at Able Seaton Port means we can provide a bespoke and tailor-made solution for Dogger Bank.

“We are delighted that 120 skilled jobs will be based here at the Port, in this exciting and growing industry. The offshore wind sector will increase four-fold by 2030 through the Sector Deal, and with the increasingly demanding targets for low carbon power generation, there is an unparalleled level of market visibility. Combine this with the sectors’ extraordinary efforts in terms of developing new products and significantly reducing costs, this industry is set to become a dominant factor in a post Covid 19 UK economy.”

Steve Wilson, Dogger Bank’s Project Director at SSE Renewables said: “Signing the contract with GE Renewable Energy is not just great news for Dogger Bank and GE, but for the wider offshore wind industry, marking the first time a 13 MW turbine will be installed in the world.

“In addition to this, today’s announcement will bring huge economic benefits to the North East of England, where 120 skilled jobs will be created during construction of the windfarm, along with 120 skilled jobs during the maintenance phase.

“These turbines are a true testament of how hard the offshore wind industry is working to continually innovate and drive down costs and we look forward to working with GE Renewable Energy to help us deliver the largest offshore wind farm in the world.” 

Halfdan Brustad, vice president for Dogger Bank at Equinor, said: “We want Dogger Bank to be a flagship project that leads the way in both digitalization and innovative technology, so it is a great honor to confirm that this project will be the first in the world to use these powerful turbines.

“The sheer scale of Dogger Bank brings huge opportunities to the UK. As well as being home to the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the North East will benefit from hundreds of jobs and local supply chain opportunities. We look forward to working with our partners and suppliers to build up a skilled team in the area, to operate and maintain these turbines for the lifetime of the wind farm from our new base, which will be constructed at the Port of Tyne.”

The Service & Warranty agreements for the first two phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm will account for around 120 of the Operational and Maintenance jobs that will be based from the Port of Tyne. In addition, GE Renewable Energy has also confirmed that it will establish its marshalling construction team activities at Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool. This port will serve as the hub for all equipment marshalling, installation and commissioning activities, resulting in the creation of an estimated 120 jobs during the construction period. Recruitment activities are likely to begin early next year.

The contracts with Dogger Bank Wind Farm are subject to a Notice to Proceed from project joint venture partners SSE Renewables and Equinor. Financial close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B is expected in late 2020.

The Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located over 130 km off the north-east coast of England and will be capable of powering up to 4.5 million homes each year when complete in 2026. Due to its size and scale, the site is being built in three consecutive phases; Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C. Each project is expected to generate around 6 TWh of electricity annually.

The Haliade-X platform continues to undergo a rigorous series of tests at the UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult testing facility in Blyth, at Boston’s Wind Technology Testing Center in the US, and at the prototype site in Rotterdam, Netherlands. This prototype unit in the Netherlands, which set a world record in January 2020 by being the first wind turbine to produce 288 MWh in one day, will start operating at 13 MW in the coming months as part of its ongoing testing and certification process.

GE Renewable Energy will continue its testing and Research & Development activities on Haliade-X platform in the UK by partnering with ORE Catapult and other institutions to develop programs that reduce the time people spend at sea, to increase safety and the use of robotics, digital and remote operations to help reduce energy costs. 

GE has a long history serving the UK market, with 10,000 employees across Power, Renewable Energy, Healthcare, Aviation, Capital and Digital businesses

HALIADE-X 13 MW FIGURES

 § IECRE Provisional RNA Component Certificate.

* According to EPA Greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator

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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

About Dogger Bank Wind Farm

  • A 50:50 joint venture between Equinor and SSE Renewables. 
  • Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B is expected in late 2020 with Financial Close for Dogger Bank C expected in late 2021. 
  • Consent was granted in 2015.  
  • Located in the North Sea, with each phase more than 130 km from the Yorkshire Coast.  
  • Each phase of the project (Dogger Bank A, Dogger Bank B and Dogger Bank C) will have an installed capacity of 1.2 GW and will be able to power 1.5 million homes. Together, they can provide approximately 5% of the UK’s estimated electricity generation.  
  • Construction activities started in 2020; while turbine installation is scheduled to begin in 2023 at Dogger Bank A.
  • The first phase, Dogger Bank A, is expected to be operational in 2023.  
  • The wind turbines will be installed on monopile foundations. Preferred supplier for foundation fabrication will be announced in 2020.  
  • The project will be the first in the UK to use a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission system due to long distance to grid connection point. 

About Able Seaton Port
Able Seaton Port (ASP) is a 51-hectare (126 acre) site and has some of the strongest quays in Europe which have been constructed particularly to suit the requirements of the offshore energy sector.

ASP has the capacity to handle virtually all offshore vessels that are operating in the North Sea. ASP has large mobile harbour and crawler cranes already available along with self-propelled mobile transporters (SPMTs) and other plant and equipment to handle offshore wind components.

In 2018 ASP provided the installation base and all onshore handling activities for the Hornsea One offshore wind farm foundation package. In the 12 months from mid-September 2020, ASP will be the installation base for the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm turbine package.

About SSE Renewables 
SSE Renewables is a leading developer, owner and operator of renewable energy 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 net zero future through the world class development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets.   

SSE Renewables owns nearly 2GW of operational onshore wind capacity with over 1GW under development. Its 1,459MW hydro portfolio includes 300MW of pumped storage and 750MW of flexible hydro.  

Its operational offshore wind portfolio consists of 487MW across two offshore joint venture sites, Beatrice and Greater Gabbard, both of which it operates on behalf of its asset partners. SSE Renewables has the largest offshore wind development pipeline in the UK and Ireland at over 6GW and has an onshore wind pipeline across both markets in excess of 1GW.

About Equinor in the UK
Equinor has been operating in the UK for over 35 years. Headquartered in Norway, the company employs 22,000 people globally, and over 650 in the UK. As a broad energy company, Equinor is committed to long term value creation in a low carbon future and targeting carbon neutral operations globally by 2030.  

Equinor is the UK’s leading energy provider and supports the UK economy by investing billions in crucial energy infrastructure, working with over 700 suppliers across the country. Its energy supplies from Norway meet more than one quarter of the UK’s demand for natural gas and around one fifth of its demand for oil, both produced with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry. It operates the Mariner oil field, one of the largest and most digitally advanced offshore investments in the UK over the last decade, and is progressing Rosebank, the largest undeveloped field in the UK.  

Both projects support hundreds of jobs and economic activity in Scotland. Equinor also operates two offshore wind farms off the East Coast of England, Dudgeon and Sheringham Shoal. It is a pioneer in floating wind technology with Hywind Scotland, the world’s first floating wind farm off the coast of Peterhead, which is partnered with Batwind, the world’s first battery for offshore wind. And with its partner SSE Renewables, Equinor is building the largest offshore wind farm in the world, Dogger Bank, off the North East coast of England. It is also a leader in both carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, and is developing a number of projects in Europe, including in the Humber and Teesside regions of North East England.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Tim Brown
GE Vernova
+1 302 509 9352
[email protected]
Sebastien Duchamp
Communications Director
GE Renewable Energy
+33 6 73 19 59 64
[email protected]

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