UK-made steel from the country’s largest producer Tata will be used to build the 3600MW Dogger Bank offshore wind farm off the east coast of England.
In the first two 1.2GW phases of construction the 13MW GE Renewable Energy turbines will sit on foundations featuring Tata Steel products used in transition pieces.
Fabrication companies Sif and Smulders were awarded contracts to provide the wind turbine foundations for the first two phases of Dogger Bank in November 2020, with Dogger Bank C awarded a year later.
Steel made in Tata Steel’s Port Talbot plant and processed into hollow sections at the company’s Corby and Hartlepool sites is being fabricated by one of the thousands of contract companies helping to build the first two phases of the wind farm.
Tata Steel UK chairman Sandip Biswas said: “We are proud to be able to help support UK jobs and manufacturing through this project.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm project director Steve Wilson said: “This is another great example of how we’re taking advantage of UK skills and expertise to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
“Our transition pieces are among the largest to be installed on an offshore wind farm, and this UK-manufactured steel will form some of the supporting components.
“Dogger Bank Wind Farm is already creating or supporting more than 3,000 jobs in the UK supply chain, and giving companies the chance to work on a pioneering project which will help them become increasingly competitive as the world adapts to produce energy that doesn’t cost the earth.”