Wind Energy – Dogger Bank
Commercial terms have been established with The Crown Estate in the UK to enable Dogger Bank D to progress, under an amendment to the existing seabed lease, subject to the outcome of a ‘Plan-Level Habitats Regulations Assessment’ (HRA).
The proposed fourth phase of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm will unlock up to 2GW of additional energy capacity from the wind farm’s existing seabed area.
With the first three phases of the wind farm already set to power the equivalent of 6 million UK homes, this increased capacity will further accelerate the UK’s energy transition.
Since the wind farm obtained a seabed lease in 2010 as part of the Crown Estate’s Offshore Wind Leasing Round 3, offshore wind technology has advanced, meaning that there is the potential for additional energy capacity to be generated within the same seabed footprint.
Dogger Bank D, which is a 50/50 joint venture between Equinor and SSE Renewables, will utilise the eastern position of the Dogger Bank C area to unlock increased value.
The amendment to the lease to allow the project to progress is subject to the outcome of the ‘Plan-Level Habitats Regulations Assessment’ (HRA) to understand the collective environmental impact of the additional capacity of Dogger Bank D alongside six further offshore wind farms exploring capacity increases. This follows the announcement of The Crown Estate’s Capacity Improvement Programme in 2023, which looked to catalyse the UK’s energy transition, restore a thriving marine environment, and support growth for communities and industry. The Crown Estate is required to undertake the HRA before it can take a final decision on the Capacity Improvement Programme, and if Dogger Bank D is progressed the lease amendments will be subject to any additional provision which may need to be made to secure mitigation or compensatory measures in light of the findings of the HRA.
Before the new phase can be constructed, Dogger Bank D will require a new Development Consent Order.
