With the capacity to supply 800,000 homes with electricity and the promise of creating 2,500 local jobs as well as millions of pounds’ worth of investment to the UK’s economy, the creation of a wind farm in Hornsea is good news for the UK. PES turns to DONG Energy to find out more…
In 2010, SMart Wind Ltd (a 50/50 joint venture between Mainstream Renewable Power and Siemens Project Ventures GmbH) was awarded the ‘Hornsea Zone’ by the Crown Estate as part of the Offshore Wind Round 3 Tender Round. The zone lies between 31km and 190km off the Yorkshire coast. It covers an area of 4,735 km² with water depths predominantly spanning between 30 and 40m, with maximum depths of 70m.
In December 2011 DONG Energy acquired a 33.3% stake in the first two offshore wind projects (Project One) in the Hornsea zone from SMart Wind. The wind projects, Heron Wind Ltd and Njord Ltd., have a potential total capacity of up to 1.2GW.
DONG Energy took over full ownership of Project One on 4 February 2015 following years of development alongside SMart Wind and – subject to a final investment decision – will develop the project through into construction and operation.
Hornsea Project One was one of the three projects for which DONG Energy was awarded Final Investment Decision Enabling contracts (Contract for Difference) by the UK Government in April 2014. Under this CfD the business will receive a fixed price per MWh of electricity produced by the wind farm for the first 15 years of operation following which DONG Energy will receive the market price.
