DUDGEON

The first monopile foundation was installed and fixed to the seabed by the crane vessel Oleg Strashnov on the Dudgeon bank, 32 kilometers from the coastal town of Cromer. In total, 67 turbines will be installed as part of the project, as well as one 1,000-ton offshore substation.

"This is an important milestone for the Dudgeon offshore wind park. Our team and suppliers have worked hard to prepare for the exciting installation phase and we are pleased to progress according to plan," says Olav-Bernt Haga, project director for the Dudgeon project.

When completed, the wind park will have a capacity of 402 MW, delivering an annual production of up to 1.7 TWh. The total investment in Dudgeon is estimated at £1.5 billion. The project was sanctioned in 2014.

The Dudgeon investment provides local opportunities in the UK. A number of British suppliers are involved in the construction, and at least 70 local jobs will be created directly in the operations phase, with additional jobs indirectly in the supply chain. The project is currently preparing its operations and maintenance base in Great Yarmouth.

"This is a significant step for Statoil as an offshore wind farm operator, and we are looking forward to developing good relationships with the public, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and the local business community, who we will be co-operating with for the next 25 years," concludes Haga.

Statoil is the operator of the Dudgeon offshore wind park in both the development, start-up and operations phases. Co-owners in the project are Statkraft and Masdar.

"We are proud to be heading up the development of Dudgeon. This is a large industrial investment in UK energy and one of the largest ongoing offshore wind developments in Europe," says Stephen Bull, Statoil’s senior vice president for offshore wind and CCS.

"For Statoil, this project more than doubles our total installed offshore wind energy production capacity. Dudgeon strengthens and confirms Statoil’s strategic ambition of industrial growth in offshore wind, as a key part of our efforts to gradually complement the oil and gas portfolio with profitable renewable energy,” says Bull.

The Dudgeon project is being developed near the 317 MW Sheringham Shoal wind park, developed by Statoil and Statkraft with start-up in 2012. Between the two projects, the cost of energy has been reduced by 30 percent. Offshore wind is developing fast, and Statoil now has a specific roadmap to make offshore wind competitive without subsidies by 2025.

"We see great market potential for offshore wind, both in the UK and elsewhere. The key to achieving further profitable growth is to drive down cost: The more competitive offshore wind is, the greater is the market potential. Dudgeon is a great example in that sense," adds Bull.

For further information please contact:

Nigel Tompkins [the Norfolk contact for media and community enquiries].
New Ideas for Business
T: 01263 822427
M: 07860 206565
E: nigel@ni4b.co.uk

Issue date: 04-04-16