Dogger Bank A & B Unmanned Offshore Platforms Taking Shape

Offshore platforms for the first two Dogger Bank Wind Farm phases are now well under construction and have started to take shape at Aibel’s facilities.

Aibel was selected to deliver the two platforms for the 2.4 GW Dogger Bank A and B in October 2019, with an option for one more for the 1.2 GW Dogger Bank C.

The contract for the first two platforms was signed in November 2020 after SSE Renewables and Equinor reached financial close for the first two wind farms, with Dogger Bank C following at the beginning of 2021.

Dogger Bank Wind Farm project is headed from Aibel in Haugesund, Norway, while the platform’s topsides are under construction at Aibel’s yard in Thailand, according to information on the project published earlier.

As reported last year, the 3.6 GW offshore wind farm will use what the developers say is the world’s first unmanned High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) offshore substation, which slashes topside weight by 70 per cent.

Removing the need for personnel to stay on the platform meant it was then possible to eliminate elements such as the living quarters, helideck and sewage systems, resulting in a 70 per cent reduction in weight (per megawatt) of the topside compared to previous platforms installed, and cost savings of hundreds of millions of pounds, the developers said.

The delivery of the Dogger Bank B platform is scheduled for 2024, while Dogger Bank C is scheduled for 2025.

Aibel is working together with Hitachi ABB Power Grids to deliver all the offshore grid connections for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, as Hitachi ABB Power Grids has been contracted to install high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) technology to connect the transmission links on all three phases of the 3.6 GW offshore wind farm.

Dogger Bank A and B is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40 per cent), Equinor (40 per cent) and Eni (20 per cent), with Eni now joining SSE and Equinor on Dogger Bank C as well.

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