The first of 165 foundations has been installed at Hornsea Two offshore wind farm, capping a tremendous week for the sector.
Capacity targets for 2040 were lifted 33 per cent by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and now what will become the world’s largest array is making a splash off the East Yorkshire coast.
Co-ordinated from a new base at Humberside Airport, construction works are now in full swing in the near North Sea, with the huge platforms for the offshore substation and other vital electrical infrastructure also installed.
Working onboard DEME Group’s Innovation vessel, the crew left Emshaven port earlier in the week with three sets of monopiles and transition pieces on board.
They provide the base from seabed to a level above the water, on which the huge turbines then sit.
Patrick Harnett, Ørsted senior programme director for Hornsea Two, said: “Our dedicated teams and contractors continue to overcome obstacles and perform above and beyond expectations. This offshore installation is another huge accomplishment for the Hornsea Two project and proves the commitment and hard work from everyone working towards the same goal – to create a world that runs entirely on green energy, through the safe and efficient construction of another of the world’s largest offshore wind farms.”
Once complete, Hornsea Two will have a capacity of 1.4GW, enough to provide renewable power to well over 1.3 million homes.
The wind farm sits 89km off the coast, and spans an offshore area of 462 sq km. Electricity is brought onshore at Horseshoe Point on the Lincolnshire coast, skirting Grimsby - where it will be operated and maintained from - before joining the grid at North Killilgholme.
Green hydrogen opportunities are also being explored there, with the Gigastack project building momentum.
The foundation installation campaign will continue through 2021. The expectation is that Innovation will complete 40 to 50 foundations, before handing over to the Pacific Orca vessel.
