It is eighteen months since Maritime Journal looked at the winning bidders for the rights to develop UK Round 3 offshore wind zones. Time perhaps for another look to see how far down that road they are.
In June 2008 The Crown Estate (TCE) began a public tender process to develop nine zones to be known as Round 3. The successful development partners were announced in January 2010. In 2011 the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s Renewables Roadmap included the ambition to deploy 18GW of offshore wind capacity by 2020 while TCE set its own goal of 25GW either completed or under construction by the same year.
The scale of Round 3 is enormous, the potential capacity compares to the 8GW of Rounds 1 and 2 combined and the size of some of the zones has resulted in sub-division by developers, individual windfarms contained within. Phased development should allow the supply chain to manage demand, adapting to emerging technologies as the industry progresses along the never ending learning curve. Technological innovation includes turbines specifically designed for offshore use delivering increased reliability over time and helping reduce costs. Standardisation and industrialisation will follow with a clearer picture of the technology emerging as developers make their choices and actually place orders.
Much groundwork has to be carried out before anything resembling wind turbines appear and developers are progressing steadily down this road. This work includes environmental and engineering studies along with the all important communication with stakeholders to define individual projects for approval leading to Agreements for Lease with TCE and statutory consents.
SCOTTISH WATERS AND NORTH SEA
Northernmost Round 3 zone is Moray Firth, around 22km off the Caithness coast and covering an area of 520km2 in water depths between 37m and 57m. Maximum potential capacity for the zone is put at 1.5GW. The scale of some zones has led to the formation of consortiums combining experience and resources and Moray Offshore Renewables is a JV between EDP Renewables (EDPR UK) and Repsol Nuevas Energias UK.
Following awarding of the lease two development areas were identified, Eastern and Western. Spatial constraint within the Western Development Area means the Eastern Development Area is being progressed first with three windfarm sites established: Telford Offshore Windfarm Ltd, Stevenson Offshore Windfarm Ltd and MacColl Offshore Windfarm Ltd.
In August 2010 the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Scoping Report was published and Agreements for Lease for the three sites was signed with TCE in December 2010. Geophysical and geotechnical survey work took place during 2011 following which a project report was produced along with initial local economic impact projections. Up to 339, 3.6MW to 8MW turbines are envisaged with shore grid connection at Peterhead. In August 2012 application was made to Marine Scotland (the first under Round 3) for consent to develop all three sites while backing from The Highlands Council was received in March 2012. These were important milestones, the project running according to schedule with construction due to commence early 2015, first power export in 2016 and final commissioning in 2020.
Seagreen Wind Energy, a JV between SSE and Fluor Ltd, is developing the Firth of Forth zone, its potential capacity of 3.5GW doubling Scotland’s existing renewables capacity. Around 25km east of the Fife coast, the zone covers an area of 2,852km2 with three phases identified.
Application was made to Marine Scotland in October 2010 under the Coast Protection Act for oceanographic surveys as part of the EIA process. Two windfarms, Projects Alpha and Bravo within Phase 1, will be developed initially. A programme of extensive consultation within the local community commenced almost immediately, including an event at Angus College in Arbroath to increase awareness for engineering and construction companies and attract students to the college. Seagreen’s wildlife research activities includes work with The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology at the Fowlsheugh Bird Reserve attaching GPS loggers to breeding seabirds to determine their foraging destinations.
Application for installation of a met mast within Phase 1 was lodged in February 2012 with October 2012 marking Seagreen’s own major milestone with applications submitted to Marine Scotland for consent to build and operate the Project Alpha and Bravo windfarms, each comprising 75 turbines with 525MW capacity. Export cable landfall is planned at Carnoustie. The timeline indicates export cable installation commencing late in 2015, offshore construction starting in third quarter 2016 and project completion by end of 2019.
The Forewind consortium, comprising RWE npower renewables, SSE, Statkraft and Statoil are jointly developing what at 8,660km2, and 290km offshore at its furthest point is the largest and deepest Round 3 project, Dogger Bank. The zone has a capacity target of 9.6GW in water depths of between 18m and 63m. Four tranches have been identified, each footprint larger than required for individual projects allowing flexibility with actual windfarm locations. Zonal development involves two windfarms, Creyke Beck A and B located within Tranche A. The second stage, Teesside A and B, are largely within Tranche B.
A laser wind-profiling instrument was installed on the Cavendish offshore gas platform in July 2011 and by March 2012 agreements had been signed with National Grid for 6GW of grid connections in Teesside and Yorkshire. Most of the offshore surveys were also completed in 2012.
Earlier this year, two suction-bucket foundation met masts were installed by Fred. Olsen Windcarrier’s Brave Tern, the first contract for the newbuild installation vessel. The timetable for both Creyke Beck and Teesside indicates offshore construction taking place between 2016 and 2021 with electricity generation commencing in 2017.
Moving further south, the SMart Wind consortium of Mainstream Renewable Power and Siemens Project Ventures GmbH is developing the Hornsea windfarm between 31km and 190km off the Yorkshire coast. Covering an area of 4,735km2, the zone’s potential capacity is 4GW with phased development comprising two projects. Project One involves two windfarms, Heron Wind and Njord, built over two or three phases, dependent on turbine size (between 3.6MW and 8MW), with between 124 and 332 turbines anticipated.
Emu Ltd completed a full spectrum of environmental surveys in 2010 and in the same year the first 1GW grid connection (HVDC) was agreed with National Grid, first connection expected in 2014. A number of events occurred in 2011 including launching of the first community consultation event for Phase 2 and installation of a met mast (funded by the Offshore Wind Accelerator Programme), featuring the world’s first ‘twisted jacket’ foundation. Agreement for the second 1GW grid connection was reached in 2011 and a change in ownership line-up saw DONG Energy pay an initial purchase price of approximately £ 15m for a 33.3% stake in Heron Wind and Njord windfarms with an option to acquire the remaining 66.7% of shares at a fixed market price. In April 2013 Agreement for Lease was signed with The Crown Estate covering the second phase sites to be known as Optimus Wind and Breesea.
Our final look at the large east coast zones takes us to East Anglia Offshore Wind Ltd, a 50/50 JV between ScottishPower Renewables (UK) and Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd. The zone covers 6,000km2 with a potential capacity of 7.2GW and comprises three development areas; East Anglia ONE, THREE and FOUR, each with planned capacities of 1.2GW. Throughout 2011 and 2012 extensive consultations were carried out, including for the onshore cable route.
In September 2012 Aberdeen based Wood Group secured the contract for fabrication, installation and operation of two monopile met masts, installation due in summer 2013. The application for development consent for the first project, East Anglia ONE, was accepted in December 2012 with offshore work planned to commence in 2017 and first power generation a year later. In November 2012 Scoping Reports were submitted for East Anglia THREE and FOUR windfarms. Both are in their preliminary stages at the time of writing, with no construction start dates being given.
SOUTH COAST AND IRISH SEA
Around 20km off the Sussex coast the Rampion windfarm, at 167km2, is the smallest of the Round 3 zones, being developed solely by E.ON Climate & Renewables. Initially an installed capacity of up to 700MW was stated, the smaller comparative size and proximity to shore allowing rapid early progress to be made. A couple of minor hiccups have, however, indicated the complexities surrounding planning and other issues with such major projects.
In 2011 concern was expressed that surfing had not been identified as a recreational activity that could be affected by the proposal. Following discussions between E.ON and those concerned, agreement was reached with revised plans to reduce the effects on wave height. It is reported that these plans include fewer but larger turbines and more spread out.
A Development Consent Order submitted in December 2012 was temporarily withdrawn soon after when certain omissions were found in the application consultee list, specifically, consulting with some inland local authorities. The plans were re-submitted to the Planning Inspectorate by E.ON, and subsequently accepted for examination in March 2013. Aside from these issues the project is nonetheless progressing. In April 2012 an 110m high met mast was installed on site. Also in 2012, Newhaven was selected as O&M base for the windfarm.
A short distance along the south coast we come across Navitus Bay windfarm off the Dorset and Hampshire coasts. A JV between Eneco Wind UK Ltd and EDF Energy is developing the windfarm of 1.2GW potential capacity covering an area of 175km2. Between 2010 and 2012 steady progress was made with the EIA scoping and community consultation, including local exhibitions. The Detailed Statement of Community Consultation was published in October 2011.
Once again public opinion was divided, with concern expressed about the visual impact (the original plans put the closest point to shore of the site boundary at around 13km). In December 2012, following further consultations, changes were announced. Visual impact was to be reduced by moving the development boundary further seawards along with a 33% reduction in the maximum number of turbines (from 333 to 218) with the largest turbines to be smaller than previously proposed. This also means an 8% reduction in overall capacity to 1.1MW and a 12% reduction in seabed area. Again however, progress has otherwise continued with the application for an offshore met mast approved in June 2012.
In the outer Bristol Channel, RWE Npower Renewables is developing the Atlantic Array windfarm with a potential capacity of up to 1.5GW. The original plans have had to be revised, however, following the first round of public consultations in 2011. With the aim of reducing visual impact the changes involve reducing horizontal spread and depth of the windfarm out to sea, increasing the distance from the coastline, reducing turbine intensity and increasing land visibility across the channel. Maximum number of turbines will reduce from 417 to 240 with the revised total capacity of 1.2GW. The Development Consent Order application to the Planning Inspectorate is expected in June 2013.
The final stop in this review takes us north to the Irish Sea and an area already heavily involved with Rounds 1 and 2. A JV between Centrica Renewable Energy and DONG Energy Wind Power Holdings is developing a 2,200km2, 4.2GW potential capacity area known as Celtic Array windfarm. A two year review was completed in March 2012 which identified three potential development areas. .
Sequential development of the three areas is planned. Rhiannon Wind Farm will be first with the second and third (North East and South West) to be considered at a later date. The numbers for Rhiannon include a capacity up to 2.2GW from between 147 and 440 turbines which at their closest point will be 19m from the coast at Anglesey. The developers submitted their scoping report to the Planning Inspectorate in July 2012 as the first step in the consenting process. Next stages include preparation of a Development Consent Order and a Marine Licence from the Welsh Government along with relevant planning applications for land connection facilities on Anglesey.
The second stage of consultation is scheduled for autumn 2013 with Consent Application scheduled to be submitted in winter 2013. Assuming approval is given (expected in 2015), construction work should commence in 2017.
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