World’s largest offshore wind farm switches on to power British homes

The world’s largest offshore wind farm that is currently under construction, Dogger Bank, off the coast of Yorkshire, started generating power for British homes for the first time on the morning of Saturday, 7 October.

Dogger Bank, photo credit: SSE

Dogger Bank is seen as key national infrastructure project that will help the government to deliver on its Net Zero pledge.

When it is fully complete in 2026, Dogger Bank’s 3.6GW capacity will comprise 277 giant offshore turbines capable of producing enough clean energy to power the equivalent of six million homes annually.

Alistair Phillips-Davies, Chief Executive of SSE, said: “There’s been lots of talk about the need to build homegrown energy supplies, but we are taking action on a massive scale. Dogger Bank will provide a significant boost to UK energy security, affordability and leadership in tackling climate change. This is exactly how we should be responding to the energy crisis.

“But it is also a landmark moment for the global offshore wind industry, with Dogger Bank demonstrating just what can be achieved when policymakers, investors, industry, and communities work together to achieve something truly remarkable.”

Dogger Bank sits 70 nautical miles (130km) off the coast of Yorkshire and will occupy an area almost as large as Greater London. SSE says that more than 2,000 jobs, many in the north of England, have been created or supported, by the Dogger Bank project.

Seagreen in Scotland

In another major milestone for SSE and offshore wind, Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm at Seagreen became fully operational in October too.

Seagreen, 27km off the Angus coast in the North Sea’s Firth of Forth, is able to generate enough electricity for 1.6 million homes annually.

Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf said, “The Seagreen offshore windfarm is a fantastic example of the work being done to unleash Scotland’s renewable potential, as we seek to lead the world in the transition to Net Zero.

This significant milestone for Seagreen is also significant for Scotland, taking us a step closer to creating a net zero energy system that delivers affordable, secure and clean energy.”