Blyth Offshore Demonstrator Project

Blyth Offshore Demonstrator Wind Farm - Phase 1 Profile

Location

The Blyth Offshore Demonstrator Wind Farm is located approximately 5.7 kilometers off the coast of Northumberland County in the north-east of England.

Developer and Ownership

The project was developed by EDF Energy Renewables, a 50-50 joint venture between EDF Energies Nouvelles and EDF Energy. Currently, the ownership is shared between EDF Renewables and Vantage RE, with a 51% and 49% stake respectively.

Project Characteristics

• Maximum Capacity: The wind farm has a maximum capacity of 99.9 MW, though it operates at a generating capacity of 41.5 MW.
• Wind Turbines: The farm consists of five MHI Vestas V164 wind turbines, each optimized to provide a maximum power of 8.3 MW.
• Foundations: The wind turbines are supported by 15,000-tonne gravity-based foundations (GBFs). These foundations were transported to the site using a "float and submerge" method, eliminating the need for pile driving and reducing associated costs and noise.
• Electrical Infrastructure: The project features 11 km of 66 kV underground cables connecting the wind turbines to the coast, and an additional 1.5 km of terrestrial cables to connect the wind farm to the substation. This was the first large-scale use of 66 kV submarine cables.

Corrosion Protection

To prevent internal and external corrosion, a sacrificial anode system was developed by Elsyca. This system is crucial due to the inclusion of the monopile in the concrete caisson, which makes underwater inspection of the monopile impossible.

Construction and Installation

• Construction Start: The construction began in June 2016.
• Foundation Installation: Between July and August 2017, the five foundations were transported from Newcastle and immersed on a gravel bed at the final site after being filled with a mixture of sand and water.
• Turbine Installation: The first wind turbine was installed on the final site in September 2017.

Operational Details

• Commercial Operation: The wind farm began commercial operations in October 2017.
• Power Supply: The wind farm supplies enough clean energy to power approximately 34,000 British households and offsets around 57,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
• Operation and Maintenance: Vestas Offshore Wind is the O&M contractor for the project, with a 15-year operation and maintenance contract starting from 2017.

Technical and Environmental Impact

• Tip Height: The wind turbines have a tip height of 191.5 meters above sea level.
• Life Duration: The wind farm is designed to have a life duration of 26 years.

Innovations and Firsts

• Float and Submerge Technology: This project was the first to use the "float and submerge" method for installing gravity-based foundations, reducing installation costs and environmental impact.
• 66 kV Electrical Infrastructure: It was also the first project to use 66 kV submarine cables on a large scale.

This project serves as a demonstrator for innovative offshore wind technologies, aiming to reduce the costs associated with both fixed and floating offshore wind developments.