Another giant offshore wind farm in the North Sea, potentially surpassing with its twin the world’s biggest venture 100 kilometres to the north, has received the go-ahead from the UK government.

Vattenfall’s 1.8 GW Norfolk  Boreas project is intended to be the first half of two turbine parks.  When completed it and its partner will out-generate the current world leader, SSE’s and Equinor’s 3.6 GW Dogger Bank venture, approved and set for construction off Yorkshire.

The office of D-BEIS secretary of state Kwasi Kwarteng confirmed on Friday his grant of a consent order for Norfolk Boreas.

Up to 70 kilometres off Great Yarmouth and Caister, Vattenfall has earmarked 1,300 square kilometres as its ‘Norfolk Zone’.  Also at 1.8 GW, Boreas’ sister project Norfolk Vanguard is intended to fill the remaining area.  The pair may comprise as many as 312 turbines.

Norfolk Vanguard’s fate is still under consideration within D-BEIS.  It received Kwarteng’s development consent in July 2020, but the approval was quashed in February for what Vattenfall calls ‘procedural matters’.

Heralding Boreas’ approval, the developer’s head of wind business Helene Bistrom declared, “This is great news not only for Vattenfall, but for the whole offshore wind sector in the UK and the fight against climate change.

“Vattenfall’s Norfolk Zone will use the most advanced offshore technology available and is central to our strategy of maximising the benefits of offshore wind in our core markets.

“We now look forward to receiving consent for Norfolk Vanguard and proceeding with development of these two iconic projects.”

In February Vattenfall appointed Aker Solutions as the projects’ construction agents, in co-operation with Siemens Energy.

As many as 70,000 jobs could be created in UK offshore wind by 2026, the year of peak construction, industry experts predict.

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