Burbo Bank Extension

Burbo Bank Extension Offshore Wind Farm Profile

Location and Site Characteristics

• The Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farm is located in Liverpool Bay, approximately 7 to 8.5 km off the North Wirral and Sefton coasts in the UK.
• The site covers an area of 40 km², adjacent to the west of the existing Burbo Bank offshore wind farm.
• Water depths at the site range between 3.5m and 17m.

Ownership and Partners

• The project is a joint venture between DONG Energy (now Ørsted) holding 50% of the interest, and its partners PKA (25%) and KIRKBI A/S, the parent company of the LEGO Group (25%).

Turbines and Capacity

• The wind farm is equipped with 32 MHI Vestas V164-8.0 MW wind turbines, making it the first commercial deployment of these turbines worldwide.
• Each turbine has a hub height of 105m and a tip height of 187m, with blades measuring 80m long and a swept area of 21,124m².
• The total installed capacity of the extension is 258 MW.

Construction and Timeline

• The final consents for the project were awarded in September 2015, and the final investment decision (FID) was made in December 2015.
• Onshore construction activities began in 2015, while offshore construction works started in early 2016.
• The installation of the turbine foundations was completed in July 2016, and the first turbine was installed in September 2016.
• The project generated its first power in November 2016 and was officially commissioned in May 2017.

Infrastructure and Grid Connection

• The turbines are fixed on transition pieces supported by monopile foundations. The monopile foundations and transition pieces were manufactured and supplied by Offshore Structures (Britain).
• The output from the turbines is conveyed through inter-array cables to a new offshore substation, which is then connected to a new onshore substation at Bodelwyddan via submarine and underground cables. The electricity is further transferred to the national grid through the 400kV Bodelwyddan onshore substation.
• Diamond Transmission Partners (DTP) owns and operates the offshore transmission link to the wind farm.

Contractors and Suppliers

• Key contractors involved include Van Oord for the installation of foundations, A2SEA for the installation of turbines, Jan De Nul Group for the installation of export and infield cables, and Balfour Beatty and Jones Brothers for the construction of the onshore substation.
• Other notable suppliers and contractors include MENCK, FoundOcean, Seaway Heavy Lifting, Smulders, WSP, Brenig Construction, Volker Infra, and VBMS.

Environmental and Social Impact

• The project underwent extensive environmental impact assessments, including studies on physical, biological, and human environments both offshore and onshore.
• The wind farm is designed to minimize visual impact and avoid conflicts with shipping lanes, recreational sailing activities, and certain species of seabirds.
• The project has contributed to the development of the UK supply chain, including the use of UK-manufactured blades and the involvement of local companies in various aspects of the construction.

Economic and Employment Impact

• The construction phase generated approximately 150 local jobs, while the operational phase supports around 75 full-time jobs.
• The project also led to the creation of up to 75 jobs during the construction of a new multi-million pound operations facility in Merseyside, with around 45 people permanently employed at the site once operational.

Energy Production and Benefits

• The Burbo Bank Extension wind farm is capable of serving approximately 230,000 homes with its electricity output.
• The project contributes significantly to the UK’s renewable energy targets and helps reduce CO₂ emissions, aligning with broader environmental goals.