DONG Commits to $6 Billion Hornsea Offshore Wind Project in U.K.

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The world's largest planned offshore windfarm is going to be built off the U.K. coast, following a final investment decision by Denmark's DONG Energy A/S (Fredericia, Denmark).

The company has committed to building the Hornsea Project One windfarm 120 kilometers (km) off the coast of Yorkshire, which will have a generating capacity of 1.2 gigawatts (GW), enough to power more than one million homes. It will be made up of the 600-megawatt (MW) Hornsea Heron and 600 MW Hornsea Njord projects and will have a combined investment value of $6 billion. The largest operational windfarm in the world today is London Array, located in Thames Estuary in England, with a generating capacity of 630 MW.

Hornsea was granted a Contract for Difference by the U.K. Government in 2014, guaranteeing DONG a fixed tariff for electricity produced for the first 15 years. The windfarm is expected to be fully commissioned in 2020.

"Hornsea Project One is ground-breaking and innovative, powering more homes than any offshore windfarm currently in operation," explained Brent Cheshire, DONG Energy U.K.'s country chairman. "We are making a major financial investment to construct this giant windfarm, and this underlines our commitment to the U.K. market. Hornsea Project One will support the supply chain and help create local jobs. To have the world's biggest ever offshore windfarm located off the Yorkshire coast is hugely significant, and highlights the vital role offshore wind will play in the U.K.'s need for new low-carbon energy."

The decision was welcomed by U.K. Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd: "DONG Energy's investment shows that we are open for business and is a vote of confidence in the U.K. and in our plan to tackle the legacy of under-investment and build an energy infrastructure fit for the 21st century. This project means secure, clean energy for the country, jobs and financial security for working people and their families, and more skills and growth boosting the Northern Powerhouse".

German engineering firm Siemens AG (FWB:SIE) (Munich, Germany) has been contracted to supply 171 of its new 7-MW wind turbines for the project, each standing 190 metres to the top of their blades. The windfarm will cover an area of approximately 407 square kilometres, over five times the size of the city of Hull. Siemens turbine production facilities in Hull will support the project, and U.K. infrastructure company Balfour Beatty plc (LSE:BBY) (London) will construct the onshore substation.

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