An East Yorkshire-based technical services provider to the wind industry has passed a key milestone in its largest ever project - helping Dogger Bank generate first power.
Boston Energy is delivering a multi-million pound package of works on the huge North East addition, fresh from securing major backing. Stretching over the next three years, the Beverley company is undertaking the onshore commissioning and completion, offshore mechanical and electrical completion and offshore commissioning elements for GE Vernova, the manufacturer of the 277 turbines now being deployed.
At full scope it will be responsible for a 190-strong team working on the find farm. Being delivered in three phases, when complete it will rival the Hornsea Zone off the Humber for the title of world’s largest.
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Boston Energy has successfully delivered more than 100 projects across the UK, Europe, North America, and Taiwan in just over a decade. And work on the biggest win comes at an exciting time for the business, as leading private equity investor LDC has significantly backed the company as it targets further international expansion, helping to respond to the growing demand for services at pace.
Julian Cattermole, chief executive, said: “We’re thrilled that GE Vernova have entrusted us to deliver the onshore and offshore commissioning of this truly exciting, and transformative project. GE has recognised that Boston Energy has a very strong track record of delivering exceptional quality on its projects as well as ensuring it delivers to budget and to the highest safety and environmental standards. We now need to get on and deliver to those same exacting standards that GE Vernova expects.”
Roles provided on Dogger Bank by Boston Energy include commissioning supervisors and technicians, vessel administrators, mechanical and electrical technicians and rope access technicians. More than 50 onshore workers and 90 offshore workers – plus an office team of seven – have been deployed in the Teesside area. 80 per cent of its offshore team, and 85 per cent of its onshore team are from the North East.
Nathan Fahey, project director at GE Vernova, said: “We have been working with Boston Energy since the contract award for offshore commissioning of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm and I’m really pleased to have them as a trusted partner as we move into the operational phase of the project.
“I trust the team will deliver the expected results, at the quality and execution standards we want to provide to our customer. We are very much looking forward to working with Boston Energy to help us deliver this fantastic project utilising our Haliade-X turbines. Delivering this project will significantly enhance the UK’s net zero ambitions and help make a substantial dent in CO2 emissions.”
Each Dogger Bank phase has a 12GW capacity, sitting between 130km and 190km off the coast. It is a joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Vårgrønn, with SSE Renewables leading on the development and construction, ahead of Equinor taking on the operation.
Simon Bailey, SSE’s commercial director for Dogger Bank, said: “It’s great to see another key contractor creating job opportunities to support the construction of Dogger Bank Wind Farm. Construction and commissioning of turbine technology is a critical element of our programme that will help us to steadily ramp up to full operating capacity of 3.6GW by 2026.”
