This week SSE Renewables attended Renewable UK’s Global Offshore Wind Conference where we engaged with a number of key industry colleagues. There is a real sense of momentum within the industry and SSE Renewables is helping to lead the way.
The UK is the world’s largest offshore wind market, and SSE Renewables has the largest offshore wind pipeline in the UK and Ireland and future ambitions beyond these shores.
As the climate crisis continues to be at the forefront of the people’s minds we must turn towards how we can bridge the energy gap using zero-carbon, renewable energy.
We believe offshore wind can power the low-carbon energy revolution and have been a long-term advocate of the need for more offshore wind capacity beyond the 30GW by 2030 target set by the UK Government.
Our ability to expertly develop, deliver and operate offshore wind farms has already been seen at the Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm (opened in 2012), and more recently at the Beatrice offshore wind farm, completed on time and under budget last month.
Now that Beatrice is completed our attention turns to the outcome of the UK Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions taking place over the coming months.
We have two consented offshore projects, Seagreen Phase 1, wholly owned by us, and Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farms, a joint venture with Equinor, preparing to bid in the CfD. Seagreen would be the largest offshore wind project in Scotland and Dogger Bank would be the largest offshore wind farm, not just in England, but the world.
Over in Ireland we are looking to develop Arklow Bank Wind Park, which has a minimum consented capacity of 520MW, and will be capable of powering more than 420,000 Irish homes.
Our offshore wind pipeline doesn’t stop there though. We’re looking to develop Greater Gabbard Extension, Seagreen Phases 2 and 3, and we’ve submitted applications to assess the suitability of two new offshore wind farm sites on the East Coast of Ireland, which could generate over 1.5GW of renewable energy combined.
That brings our combined offshore wind pipeline total to over 7GW and we expect that to grow through future seabed leasing rounds. SSE Renewables is ready to deliver this pipeline and more.