ScottishPower Renewables and Masdar’s East Anglia THREE offshore windfarm has set a UK offshore wind record with the installation of its first turbine – the first in the UK to feature 115 metre blades, each one longer than a Premier League football pitch.
- First turbine installed at ScottishPower Renewables and Masdar’s £4 billion East Anglia THREE offshore windfarm, featuring 115-metre blades – the biggest manufactured and used in the UK
- All 285 blades for the 14MW turbines are being manufactured in the UK at Siemens Gamesa’s factory in Hull
- When complete, the 1.4 GW East Anglia THREE project will produce enough clean power for more than 1.3 million homes
All 285 of the record-breaking blades for the project’s 95 turbines are being manufactured in the UK at Siemens Gamesa’s factory in Hull.
Standing around 262 metres tall – higher than the observation deck at the Shard – the 14MW Siemens Gamesa turbines have a rotor diameter of 236 metres.
A single revolution of just one turbine will produce enough electricity to power a UK home for more than four days, charge around 1,700 mobile phones, or brew nearly a thousand cups of tea.
Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower Renewables CEO said: 'This is a defining moment – and a UK industry first – for ScottishPower, Iberdrola and Masdar as we celebrate and accelerate the deployment of homegrown renewable energy at scale. East Anglia THREE will be the biggest and most powerful offshore windfarm in our portfolio. That means billions of pounds invested in UK and global supply chains; thousands of jobs supported during construction; more than a hundred long-term roles created in the East of England; and greater energy security, with more clean power coming on to the grid than ever before. This achievement is testament to successful collaboration with our strategic investment partner, Masdar, and the dedication and excellence of our own teams and supply chain partners. East Anglia THREE will play a crucial role in the UK’s clean energy future and it’s fantastic to see our vision come to life.'
Located off the Suffolk coast in the UK, East Anglia THREE will be one of the world’s largest offshore windfarms when it comes into operation, delivering enough homegrown, clean electricity to power the equivalent of 1.3 million British homes.
Husain Al Meer, Director of Global Offshore Wind at Masdar said: 'This is a milestone moment for the UK’s offshore wind sector, with the completion of the first turbine for East Anglia THREE representing a truly monumental achievement. We are proud to work alongside ScottishPower and Iberdrola to bring this project to fruition and to be playing our part in securing the UK’s clean energy future, while helping to create jobs and drive sustainable growth. We see tremendous potential for offshore wind, not just in the UK but across the wider European market, where offshore wind can provide critical energy security, power economic progress and help nations achieve their clean energy objectives.'
The blades used on the East Anglia THREE turbines are seven metres longer than the previous record of 108 metres – also manufactured by Siemens Gamesa.
Darren Davidson, UK Head of Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa, said: 'These are the biggest blades ever built for a project in UK waters – a real landmark for offshore wind. We’re proud that these record-breaking blades have been manufactured at our factory in Hull, where we now employ more than 1,400 people, and where we’re also investing in the future by training our next generation of workers through a well-established and successful apprenticeship scheme.'
The turbine installation was completed using Cadeler’s O-class Wind Osprey jack-up vessel, which will be joined later this month by the next generation P-class Wind Pace on its first deployment in European waters as the installation programme continues.
Mikkel Gleerup, Cadeler CEO said: 'We are proud to support ScottishPower Renewables and Masdar on East Anglia THREE – our first project together and a strong starting point for future collaboration. By deploying two of our vessels in parallel, we can maintain a consistent and efficient installation pace throughout the campaign. This also marks Wind Pace’s first project in European waters since her delivery last year. Built to install the next generation of turbines, she brings increased capacity and operational flexibility, enhancing installation efficiency and supporting a more streamlined programme. Together, this strengthens our ability to deliver safely, reliably and at scale'.
Source: ScottishPower Renewables
