The site of the proposed Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm is 20 miles off the coast of Cromer, and since acquiring the project late last year, Statoil and Statkraft have undertaken a review of the project design and the seabed characteristics of the consented site.
As of the result of this review Dudgeon Offshore Wind Limited (DOWL) has made a decision to reduce the total generating capacity from 560MW to a maximum of 400MW. This change will minimise the risk of wake effects and therefore increase the efficiency of the wind farm and will reduce the total number of wind turbine generators from 178 to around 78.
In addition DOWL have submitted a formal application to the consenting bodies (DECC and MMO) to vary a number of elements of the offshore planning consent. Those variations include:
An increase in wind farm area in order to give some additional flexibility to locate foundations away from areas which are at high risk of instability. Areas of seabed are comprised of mobile sand waves and chalk seabed, both of which create challenges in securing the turbine foundations to the seabed.
The use of Suction Bucket Jacket foundations or larger monopile foundations of up to 8.5m diameter. These have been added in order to offset the risks to foundation stability associated with a chalk seabed.
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Press Release, August 30, 2013