Teeside

Teesside Wind Farm Profile

Location and Geography: The Teesside Wind Farm, also known as the Redcar Wind Farm, is located just to the east of the mouth of the River Tees and 1.5 km north of Redcar, off the North Yorkshire coast in the North Sea, England.

Project Details:

• Project Type: Offshore wind farm
• Capacity: 62 MW
• Number of Turbines: 27
• Turbine Specifications: Each turbine has a 2.3 MW nameplate capacity, supplied by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (model SWT-2.3-93).

History and Development:

• Lease and Planning: EDF Energy was awarded a 22-year lease from The Crown Estate in 2004 to develop the wind farm. The project received planning consent in November 2007, although it faced a judicial review that was resolved in 2008. The offshore substation received planning consent in November 2008, and an agreement on grid connection was reached in November 2009.
• Construction: Construction began in February 2011 and was completed by June 2013. The first turbine was installed by January 2013, and by April 2013, 17 turbines were installed with three operational and connected to the UK electricity grid.
• Operation: The wind farm entered commercial operation in August 2013 and was officially opened in April 2014.

Ownership and Operation:

• Developer and Operator: Developed by EDF Energy (Northern Offshore Wind) Ltd. and operated by Teesside Windfarm Ltd. Initially, EDF Energy Renewables was the 100% owner, but as of recent updates, the ownership is shared among EDF Renewables (51%), Dalmore Capital (24.5%), and Pensions Infrastructure Platform (24.5%).

Technical Specifications:

• Foundations: The turbines are installed on fixed monopile foundations, with diameters up to 5.5 meters and depths up to 35 meters.
• Electrical Connections: Inter-turbine electrical connections and the connection to shore are energized at 33 kV.
• Operational Wind Speeds: The wind farm operates at wind speeds between 3.5 to 14 m/s (11 to 46 ft/s) and has an automatic cut-off at wind speeds over 25 m/s (82 ft/s).

Environmental Impact and Energy Production:

• Energy Generation: The wind farm generates approximately 200,000 MWh of electricity annually, which is enough to power around 40,000 to 54,000 households.
• Carbon Emissions Offset: It offsets about 80,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

Local Involvement:

• Local Companies: The construction of the wind farm involved 22 local companies, highlighting its contribution to the local economy.

Economic and Cost Considerations:

• Cost: The levelised cost of the electricity produced by the Teesside Wind Farm is estimated at £236/MWh, making it one of the highest-cost electricity producers among UK offshore wind farms.

Decommissioning: At the end of the 22-year Crown Estate lease, the wind farm is expected to be decommissioned by the developer.