With this move, the leading company in offshore wind power and Europe’s third-largest in renewable energy is seeking to play a significant part in helping to reach the UK’s ambition to grow offshore wind capacity to 40 gigawatts by 2030.
March 30, 2021
RWE has taken the Financial Investment Decision on its 1.4 gigawatts (GW) flagship Sofia Offshore Wind Farm project, globally the largest offshore project in its renewables fleet. The 100% RWE-owned project represents a total investment of approximately £3billion.
The company is now poised to forge ahead with the construction of Sofia, with onshore enabling works due to start this Spring and offshore construction in 2023. Final project completion is expected by Q4 2026. RWE was awarded a Contract for Difference (CfD) for Sofia in 2019, achieving a strike price of £39.65 per megawatt hour (in 2012 prices).
Sven Utermöhlen, Chief Operating Officer Wind Offshore Global, RWE Renewables said: “Taking the financial investment decision for RWE’s largest-ever offshore wind project is a great moment for the entire RWE Renewables team… Sofia will break new ground for RWE, establishing our expertise for installing 14 megawatts turbines, the most advanced technology, further offshore. It will also provide invaluable experience that we can deploy on our new projects, especially at our two new adjacent sites on Dogger Bank, which we were recently awarded by The Crown Estate, and also our portfolio around the world.”
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Tom Glover, Chief Commercial Officer RWE Renewables and RWE UK Country Chair added: “Through this decision, we strengthen our commitment to growing and investing in renewable energy in the UK, and to playing a significant part in helping deliver the UK’s ambition to grow offshore wind capacity to 40 gigawatts by 2030.”
The consented project is located on Dogger Bank, 195 km from the nearest point on the UK’s North East coast. The project will have a single offshore converter platform, with the electricity generated transported via a high voltage direct current export cable to landfall 220 kilometres away in Redcar, Teesside. Sofia will require a new onshore converter station, and already has an agreed grid connection point at the existing National Grid substation in Lackenby, Teesside, seven kilometres inland. RWE is reviewing port options for the project’s long-term operations & maintenance activity.
