Offshore Turbine Size Increase Dogger Bank Teesside

Equinor and SSE Renewables have submitted an application to use bigger wind turbines on, and to remove the 1.2GW capacity cap from the Dogger Bank Teesside A offshore wind project.

By submitting the application for a non-material change to the Dogger Bank Teesside A Development Consent Order (DCO), the developers are seeking an increase to the permitted rotor diameter for individual wind turbine generators from 215 metres to 280 metres.

Whilst the application would permit fewer, larger turbines, Teesside A would retain the ability to deliver up to 200 turbines with a 167-metre rotor diameter as assessed and currently consented under the DCO.

The developers have also applied for an amendment to the stated gross electrical output capacity of up to 1.2GW for Teesside A to a gross electrical output capacity of more than 100MW so that the description of Teesside A no longer operates as a capacity cap.

By not imposing a capacity cap, Teesside A can then take advantage of technological progress in turbine design which would allow for increased electrical output in order to maximise the delivery of renewable energy within the currently consented parameters, the application states.