We are pleased to welcome Tom Nightingale, stakeholder manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm development and UK Supply Chain Leader for Operator Equinor.
He will explain how the wind farm being built off North East England coast will be the largest in the world with 277 giant turbines – powering the equivalent of 6m British homes or providing 5 per cent of the UK’s electricity generating capacity. The wind farm will be monitored and managed from its operations and maintenance base at the Port of Tyne.
It has created or supported over 2,000 jobs, during construction and operations, mainly for people from across the region, 400 of which are long-term positions at the South Shields base, bringing economic benefits to the area.
In October, the wind farm began producing electricity for the first time, marking a major milestone in the development of the offshore wind industry and the transition to a cleaner, more secure energy system. At that time Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hailed the landmark moment, saying Dogger Bank will bolster energy security, create jobs, lower electricity bills, and keep the UK on track for Net Zero.
It is a joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Vargronn. SSE Renewables is leading on the development and construction of the wind farm and Equinor will operate it on its completion in 2026 and during its expected operational life of 35 years. Vargronn is bringing specialist offshore and wider expertise to the project.