Greater Gabbard
Encyclopedia
Greater Gabbard is a 500 MW wind farm
under construction on sandbanks 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) off the coast of Suffolk
in England
at a cost between £650 million to £1.5 billion. Onshore construction activities commenced in early July 2008 at Sizewell and Siemens
SWT3.6-107 turbines are projected to be delivered over 2009 and 2010.
and Fluor. Airtricity was subsequently bought by Scottish and Southern Energy who have bought out Fluor's 50% stake for £40m which is expected to cost £1.3b. Fluor are now contracted to design, supply, installation and commissioning of the balance of the plant. Scottish and Southern sold a 50% stake to RWE
, the owners of Npower (UK)
, in November 2008 for £308m.
The project was given the go-ahead in May 2008.. As of July 2011 erection of the turbines was two thirds complete, with all the pile foundations installed.
In October 2009 Seajacks Ltd delivered its 7,000 tonne Leviathan vessel to Fluor Ltd which will sailed to Harwich
to prepare the hook-up and commissioning of an in-field substation and then installation of the turbines. The first foundations were installed in autumn 2009 with the first of a total of 140 turbines to be installed in the spring 2010. Construction is expected to be completed in 2012.
As of April 2011, a total of 108 wind turbines had been installed, and the first Mwh of generation was achieved on 29 December 2010.
An extension of the project, called Galloper, may be agreed upon during 2012.
, the Typhoon.
A man died and another suffered serious injuries following an accident at Parkeston Quay
, Harwich. Per Terp, a 42-year-old Siemens engineer from Norresundby, Denmark, died in the incident. A 43-year-old German national was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. The incident happened on Friday, May 21 at about 7.50 am while loading a wind turbine blade on the vessel Seajack.
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
under construction on sandbanks 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) off the coast of Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at a cost between £650 million to £1.5 billion. Onshore construction activities commenced in early July 2008 at Sizewell and Siemens
Siemens Wind Power
Siemens Wind Power, or SWP, is a wind turbine manufacturer with headquarters and main production facilities established in 1980 in Brande, Denmark. SWP is wholly owned by Siemens of Germany since 2004 through the Renewable Energy division in the Siemens Energy sector...
SWT3.6-107 turbines are projected to be delivered over 2009 and 2010.
History
The project was originally developed by Greater Gabbard Offshore Winds Limited (GGOWL) which was a joint venture between AirtricityAirtricity
Airtricity was founded in 1997 in the Republic of Ireland and now is a renewable energy company owned by Scottish and Southern Energy...
and Fluor. Airtricity was subsequently bought by Scottish and Southern Energy who have bought out Fluor's 50% stake for £40m which is expected to cost £1.3b. Fluor are now contracted to design, supply, installation and commissioning of the balance of the plant. Scottish and Southern sold a 50% stake to RWE
RWE
RWE AG , is a German electric power and natural gas public utility company based in Essen. Through its various subsidiaries, the energy company contributes electricity and gas to more than 20 million electricity customers and 10 million gas customers, principally in Europe...
, the owners of Npower (UK)
Npower (UK)
RWE Npower plc is a UK-based electricity and gas supply generation company, formerly known as Innogy plc. As Innogy plc it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
, in November 2008 for £308m.
The project was given the go-ahead in May 2008.. As of July 2011 erection of the turbines was two thirds complete, with all the pile foundations installed.
In October 2009 Seajacks Ltd delivered its 7,000 tonne Leviathan vessel to Fluor Ltd which will sailed to Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
to prepare the hook-up and commissioning of an in-field substation and then installation of the turbines. The first foundations were installed in autumn 2009 with the first of a total of 140 turbines to be installed in the spring 2010. Construction is expected to be completed in 2012.
As of April 2011, a total of 108 wind turbines had been installed, and the first Mwh of generation was achieved on 29 December 2010.
An extension of the project, called Galloper, may be agreed upon during 2012.
Specification
- Number of turbines: up to 140
- Power rating: 500 MW
- Load factorCapacity factorThe net capacity factor or load factor of a power plant is the ratio of the actual output of a power plant over a period of time and its potential output if it had operated at full nameplate capacity the entire time...
: 'greater than 40%' - Estimated output: 1.9 TWh per year
- Cost: £1512 million (£650 million not counting grid connection)
- Location: offshore, 23 kilometres (14.3 mi) from SizewellSizewellSizewell is a small fishing village with a few holiday homes in the county of Suffolk, England. It is located on the East Anglian coast just north of the larger holiday villages of Thorpeness and Aldeburgh, and two miles from the town of Leiston. It is within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB.The...
on the Inner Gabbard and The Galloper sandbanks
Incidents
On 12 November 2009, a man was killed and a woman injured after a chain broke and the two people were hit with pieces of the chain. Police responded to the incident, and an investigation was launched. The casualties were on board a tugboatTugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
, the Typhoon.
A man died and another suffered serious injuries following an accident at Parkeston Quay
Harwich International Port
Harwich International Port is a North Sea seaport in Essex, England. It lies on the south bank of the River Stour one mile upstream from the town of Harwich, opposite Port of Felixstowe...
, Harwich. Per Terp, a 42-year-old Siemens engineer from Norresundby, Denmark, died in the incident. A 43-year-old German national was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. The incident happened on Friday, May 21 at about 7.50 am while loading a wind turbine blade on the vessel Seajack.
See also
- List of offshore wind farms
- List of offshore wind farms in the United Kingdom
- List of offshore wind farms in the North Sea