The Dogger Bank Wind Farm will boost the UK economy by £6.1 billion during its lifetime and support thousands of British jobs over the next three decades, an independent report has found. The site, off the Yorkshire coast, is set to become the world’s largest offshore wind farm upon its completion in 2027.
The 3.6GW wind farm, which is being built in three 1.2GW phases, all in the North Sea, will be capable of generating enough power for around 6 million UK homes each year. The report, written by economic consultants BVG Associates, finds the £6.1 billion GDP contribution will be driven by significant investment in UK companies, jobs and skills during the lifecycle of the wind farm. The report was commissioned by Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s equity partners SSE, Equinor and Vårgrønn who are currently constructing farm over 130km off the Yorkshire coast.
The total number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs supported by the initial commissioning phase of the project is expected to reach 3,600, 1,500 of which will be in the North-East, North Yorkshire, and East Riding of Yorkshire. 1,400 FTE jobs are also expected to be supported throughout the wind farm’s operational life of at least 35 years.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has also committed to investing a further £26 million directly in local communities to enhance science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education, and to support vital grassroots community initiatives. This community investment scheme includes a scholarship programme for STEM students, with 123 grants already awarded to students in East Riding of Yorkshire, Redcar and Cleveland and South Tyneside. Direct spend with companies in the North-East of England and in the both North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire is expected to total over £3 billion, with hundreds of jobs supported in these regions. To date this has included jobs in companies such as Jones Bros, Bowmer and Kirkland, Boston Energy and Tekmar.
Michael Shanks, the Government’s Energy Minister has celebrated the report’s findings. He has said: “Clean, homegrown power is the right choice for families and industry right across the country.
“Wind power is cheaper, cleaner and more secure than new gas, helping us bring down bills for good. As shown by this independent report, offshore wind projects such as Dogger Bank will generate billions for the UK, while also delivering thousands of good jobs, showing once again that clean power is the economic opportunity of the 21st century.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm Project Director, Olly Cass, said: “People have always been at the heart of everything we do on Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Even from the early days of planning, there was an inherent drive from everyone involved to see what value we could unlock through this extraordinary engineering masterpiece.
”Offshore wind is a global sector with a global supply chain, but this report proves we have the skills, expertise and desire in the UK to fuel the energy transition and create economic value that’s far-reaching. The ripple effects of our UK spend, generating £6.1 billion for the UK economy, can be felt from the Highlands of Scotland, down to the south coast, and plenty more in between. BVGA’s report also gives us a chance to reflect on important lessons learned, so we can use Dogger Bank as the springboard for future economic growth in the UK in our development of critical energy infrastructure.”
Alun Roberts, Director of Economics, BVG Associates, said: “Our independent analysis shows the significant impact of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Our economic model shows that the boost to the economy and jobs is sustained through the life of the project. This is vital for sustaining political support for offshore wind.”
Jones Bros senior contracts manager, James Lockwood, said: “As a company, we are always eager to give our apprentices and trainees valuable on-site experience, and as the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank is a hugely significant project to be a part of. The numbers speak for themselves, with five higher apprentices and three trainee engineer apprentices working on Dogger Bank, whilst we also recruited 28 ground worker trainees and 18 plant operative apprentices. I know it has always brought everyone from senior managers to trainees and apprentices a great sense of pride to be associated with the scheme.”
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
