The biggest offshore wind farm #Project Management

In September 2010 the currently largest offshore wind farm in the world was completed in Thanet, Kent (UK). It consists of 100 turbines which have a total capacity of 300 MW. This is enough to provide electricity to more than 200,000 homes per year. The wind farm makes «a significant contribution to the aim of a five-fold increase in the UK’s renewable energy resource by 2020» (BBC 2006). The total offshore wind energy generated in the UK amounted in September 2010 to 1,314 MW, more than the rest of the world with 1,100 MW. Still there is lot more to do than to build one offshore wind farm and the UK could struggle to provide 15 % of overall energy from renewables by 2020.

The wind farm got its planning permission in December 2006 and was accomplished by Vattenfall, a Swedish energy company. Vattenfall bought the project company Thanet Offshore Wind Ltd in 2008 and is still the operator of the wind farm.

During the planning and execution phase the company faced several problems which lead to a delay. Vestas, the supplier of the turbines, withdrew its offshore wind turbine from the market due to technical problems in early 2007. One year later the turbines were on the market again and the constructions could continue. Oppositions came from environmental groups, which were concearned about the environmental impact. To deal with this interests Thanet Offshore Wind Ltd released a Summary of Environmental Impact in 2007.

The project shows how important it is to deal with external stakeholders. Not to consider them can delay the project or can even result in a complete failure if there is bitter opposition. The best would be to include important stakeholders early into the planning phase and deal with their concerns. A good risk management can identify them and address them accurately. Such a huge project is not possible without good project management and availability of resources. Beneficial for the realization of such a big project is a long term legal framework which can increase planning reliability.

Resources, last accessed 04.01.2012:

BBC (2006) Offshore wind farms get go-ahead, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/6188133.stm

BBC (2010) Largest offshore wind farm opens off Thanet in Kent, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-11395964

Reuters (2008) UPDATE 1-Vattenfall to build UK’s biggest wind farm, http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/11/10/vattenfall-idUSLA62270320081110

The Telegraph (2010) World’s largest offshore wind farm opens off Kent, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8018828/Worlds-largest-offshore-wind-farm-opens-off-Kent.html

Vattenfall (2011) Thanet Offshore Wind Farm, http://www.vattenfall.co.uk/en/thanet-offshore-wind-farm.htm

Vestas (2008) Company announcement from Vestas Wind Systems A/S, http://www.vestas.com/files//Filer/EN/Investor/Company_announcements/2008/080218-MFKUK-11.pdf

1 comentario / 04 Ene 2012 por Marie Glück
IMSD /

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