Vattenfall developing 3.6 GW wind project in UK

Swedish energy giant Vattenfall has started development on its new 3.6 GW Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind farm, the company announced on Tuesday.

The UK’s Crown Estate, the organisation tasked with safeguarding the country’s land management, announced finalised offshore wind farm development agreements with DONG Energy, ScottishPower Renewables, and Vattenfall last week.

Vattenfall has now confirmed the specifics of its revised agreement with the Crown Estate and is developing two projects in what used to be the northern half of the East Anglia Offshore Wind Farm development zone.

The new projects will be called Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas, and will both have a target energy capacity of 1.8 GW.

Construction of the Norfolk Boreas wind farm will start in 2017, with the development of the Norfolk Vanguard project having already started.

Intended to be developed 47 kilometres off the coast, Vanguard will generate the equivalent electricity necessary to supply more than 1.3 million UK households.

Ruari Lean, Vattenfall’s Project Manager for Norfolk Vanguard: “Vattenfall wants to work with Norfolk to capture the benefits of offshore wind… There is an opportunity for Norfolk business and securing Norfolk jobs. There is also an opportunity to make a telling impact in the UK’s contribution to tackling climate change.”

Andy Paine, Vattenfall’s Project Director for Norfolk Vanguard and head of UK offshore wind: “As the industry grows costs will fall; that’s why offshore wind has a great future in the UK… An industry is emerging in Norfolk and we are convinced that the region is well placed to secure an even bigger role in the sector.”