The Anonymous Widower

Vestas and Vattenfall Sign 1.4 GW Preferred Supplier Agreement For UK Offshore Wind Project And Exclusivity Agreements For 2.8 GW For Two Other UK Projects

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Vestas.

These are the first two paragraphs.

Vattenfall, one of Europe’s largest producers and retailers of electricity and heat, and Vestas have signed agreements to elevate the partnership between the two companies and their offshore wind business towards 2030. The agreements are another step in the right direction for offshore wind energy in the UK and follow the UK Government’s recent announcement about the parameters for the next Contracts for Difference Auction round, which sent a very positive signal to renewable energy investors.

The agreements for the three projects include a preferred supplier agreement (PSA) for the 1,380 MW Norfolk Vanguard West project, comprising 92 of Vestas’ V236-15 MW offshore wind turbine. Vattenfall and Vestas have further signed exclusivity agreements for the Norfolk Vanguard East and Norfolk Boreas projects with a total installed capacity of 2,760 MW. The two latter projects will potentially feature up to 184 V236-15 MW turbines. Once installed, the agreements also include that Vestas will service the projects under long-term Operations and Maintenance (O&M) service contracts. The agreements are another step forward for what will be one of the largest offshore wind zones in the world, with a capacity to power over 4 million UK homes.

It looks like Norfolk Boreas is back on Vattenfall’s list of active projects.

Vattenfall’s Norfolk zone now includes the following.

• Norfolk Vanguard West – 92 x V236-15 MW – 1380 MW
• Norfolk Vanguard East – 92 x V236-15 MW – 1380 MW
• Norfolk Boreas – 92 x V236-15 MW – 1380 MW

Note.

1. All turbines appear identical.
2. The deal includes long-term Operations and Maintenance (O&M) service contracts.
3. 276 identical turbines plus service contracts looks like a good deal for Vestas.

Since I wrote Vattenfall Stops Developing Major Wind Farm Offshore UK, Will Review Entire 4.2 GW Zone in July 2023, which has this sub-heading.

Vattenfall has stopped the development of the Norfolk Boreas offshore wind power project in the UK and will review the way forward for the entire 4.2 GW Norfolk Zone, the Swedish energy company revealed in its interim report.

I have written the following posts.

• November 2023 – Aker Solutions Gets Vattenfall Nod To Start Norfolk Vanguard West Offshore Platform
• November 2023 – Norfolk Boreas Windfarm Work Could Resume After Energy Price Rise
• December 2023 – SeAH To Deliver Monopiles For Vattenfall’s 2.8 GW Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Project
• Earlier in March 2023, I wrote Vattenfall Selects Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone O&M Base

It appears that with the deal announced with Vestas, Vattenfall now have everything they need to develop 4.2 GW of offshore wind.

• The O & M base will be Great Yarmouth.
• SeAH will build the monopile foundations on Teesside. Will all monopiles be identical?
• An energy price rise could change the cash flow of the project.
• Aker Solutions will build the offshore substations.Will all sub-stations be identical?
• Vestas will build the wind turbines.Will all turbines be identical?

Nothing has been said since July 2023 about how the power will be brought ashore.

In February 2022, I wrote Norfolk Wind Farms Offer ‘Significant Benefit’ For Local Economy, where I published this map from Vattenfall, which shows the position of the farms and the route of the cable to the shore.

Note.

1. The purple line appears to be the UK’s ten mile limit.
2. Norfolk Boreas is outlined in blue.
3. Norfolk Vanguard West and  Norfolk Vanguard East are outlined in orange.
4. Cables will be run in the grey areas.
5. Cables to deliver 4.1 GW across Norfolk to the National Grid, will bring out the Nimbys in droves.

Landfall of the cables will be just a few miles to the South of the Bacton gas terminal.

In SeAH To Deliver Monopiles For Vattenfall’s 2.8 GW Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Project, I asked if there could be an alternative approach.

Consider.

• If Vattenfall develop all three wind farms; Boreas, Vanguard East and Vanguard West, they will have 4.2 GW of capacity, when the wind co-operates.
• But East Norfolk is not noted for industries that need a large amount of electricity.
• I also feel, that the locals would object to a steelworks or an aluminium smelter, just like they object to electricity cables.

But would they object to a 4 GW electrolyser?

Could this be Vattenfall’s alternative approach?

• A giant electrolyser is built close to the landfall of the cable to the wind farms.
• The hydrogen could be piped to Bacton, where it could be blended with the UK’s natural gas.
• Bacton also has gas interconnectors to Balgzand in the Netherlands and Zeebrugge in Belgium. Could these interconnectors be used to export hydrogen to Europe?
• The hydrogen could be piped to Yarmouth, where it could be exported by tanker to Europe.

There would be only a small amount of onshore development and no overhead transmission lines to connect the wind farms to the National Grid.

There would be even less onshore development, if the electrolyser was offshore.

From their decisions, Vattenfall seem to have a new plan.

December 20, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Energy, Hydrogen | Aker Solutions, Bacton Gas Terminal, Electrolysis, Nimbies, Norfolk Boreas Wind Farm, Norfolk Vanguard Wind Farm, Offshore Hydrogen Production, Offshore Wind Power, SeAH Wind, Vattenfall, Vestas, Wind Power