Lincs

Profile for Lincs Offshore Wind Farm

Location

The Lincs Offshore Wind Farm is situated approximately 8 kilometres (5 miles) off the coast of Skegness in Lincolnshire, and about 15 kilometres off Hunstanton in Norfolk, on the east coast of England. It is part of the Greater Wash strategic area for offshore wind energy development.

Project Details

• Capacity: The wind farm has a total generating capacity of 270 MW, with 250 MW from the Lincs Wind Farm itself and an additional 20 MW from turbines constructed within the nearby Lynn and Inner Dowsing Wind Farm but connected to the Lincs project transmission system.
• Turbines: The farm consists of 75 three-blade Siemens wind turbines, each with a generating capacity of 3.6 MW. The turbines have a rotor diameter of 120 metres (390 ft), blade lengths of 58.5 metres (192 ft), and a hub height of 100 metres (330 ft). The total height to the tip of the blade is approximately 145 metres (476 ft).

Water Depth and Layout

• The wind turbines are installed in water depths ranging from 10 to 15 metres (33 to 49 ft) within a 35 square kilometre (14 sq mi) area. The turbines are spaced approximately 500 metres apart.

Ownership and Sponsorship

• The project is jointly owned by Centrica (50%), Siemens Project Ventures (25%), and Ørsted A/S (formerly DONG Energy, 25%).
• Additional stakeholders include the Green Investment Fund (GIG), Macquarie (MEIF5), BAE Systems Pension Funds (managed by Arjun Infrastructure Partners), and USS.

Construction and Timeline

• Acquisition and Planning: Centrica acquired the project rights in 2004 from Renewable Energy Systems. Planning consent was granted by the UK’s Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in October 2008.
• Financial Close and Investment: In December 2009, Ørsted A/S and Siemens Project Ventures acquired 50% of the project. The final investment decision was made in late 2009.
• Construction Phase: Onshore construction began in April 2010, and offshore construction commenced in March 2011. The first power was generated in August 2012, and the wind farm was fully operational by September 2013. The official inauguration took place in August 2013.

Technical Description

• Transmission System: The wind farm is connected to the national grid via two 132 kV export cables, each 40 km long, which make landfall at the east of the River Nene on the southern coast of the Wash. The cables are buried up to a depth of 1-3 metres depending on the seabed conditions. Onshore, the cables are connected to a new 132 kV/400 kV substation located adjacent to the existing substation at Walpole, Norfolk.
• Substations: The offshore substation is equipped with two 240 MVA transformers and 132 kV high-voltage and 33 kV medium-voltage switchgear. The onshore substation increases the transmission voltage from 132 kV to 400 kV for grid connection.

Financial Details

• Total Cost: The project cost is estimated at £1 billion (approximately US$1.56 billion), including electrical transmission links.
• Financing: The project was financed through a combination of equity and debt. The sponsors committed £574 million in equity, with £425 million in non-recourse debt facilities provided by a consortium of 10 banks.

Environmental and Social Impact

• Despite initial concerns from Norfolk County Council and environmental groups regarding ecological impacts, the project received planning consent in 2008. The wind farm is designed to minimize environmental impact and is part of the UK's efforts to increase renewable energy production.

Operations and Maintenance

• The wind farm is operated and maintained from the East Coast Hub in Grimsby. The centre employs more than 300 people, and during the construction phase, over 250 roles were supported. Crews travel approximately 1½ hours by boat to and from the wind farm.

Performance

• The wind farm has a rolling capacity factor of 39% as of 2019, and its levelised cost has been estimated at £166/MWh.
• The farm generates enough electricity to power around 240,000 homes annually.

Contractors and Logistics

• Key contractors included Siemens for the turbines and substations, MT Højgaard for the monopile tower foundations, and Nexans for the transmission cables. The Port of Hull and Great Yarmouth were used as logistics bases for the project.