Norfolk Chamber today welcomed the decision by Vattenfall to opt for a cabling technology which will reduce the potential impact of the wind farm’s onshore connection between landfall and the National Grid.
Vattenfall, the energy group behind the Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind farm, made the significant design decision to deploy High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cable technology to connect Norfolk Vanguard and its sister project Norfolk Boreas to the UK’s National Grid.
The wind farm developer said today that it has made a strategic decision to back HVDC for its Norfolk wind farms as it believes it will be cost competitive in the early 20’s with HVAC whilst being better for local people and the environment where onshore infrastructure is located.
After eight exhibitions in Norfolk and direct feedback from nearly 800 individuals and organisations, Vattenfall set out its local design decisions in an Interim Consultation Report, published today. This report shows how the views of local people and statutory consultees have influenced the latest design of the offshore wind farm and onshore electrical infrastructure.
The key design decisions include:
- Adoption of HVDC transmission connections which will avoid the need for cable relay stations near Happisburgh for Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas
- Using HVDC transmission technology means a much narrower cable corridor throughout – offshore and onshore. The 45m wide onshore cable corridor running from landfall near Happisburgh to a substation near Necton, 60km away, allows Vattenfall to avoid sensitive sites including historical heritage, like buried archaeology near St Mary’s Chapel, Kerdiston and a medieval moat north of Necton. (Vattenfall originally used a 100metre corridor in line with HVAC requirements).
- Long range horizontal direction drilling (HDD) at landfall near Happisburgh – where power transmission cables from the offshore wind farm come ashore – will avoid impact on the cliffs and mean no works are required on the beach
- Due to additional long range HDD, Vattenfall will avoid impact on all county wildlife sites and a number of important local amenity and tourism sites by adding further sections of trenchless crossing. As a result, features like Paston Way, Knapton Cutting, the Marriott’s Way and Wendling Carr will be avoided
- Near Necton, the HVDC Norfolk Vanguard substation will be quieter than the HVAC alternative as it will incorporate fewer low-frequency noise emitting components and acoustic insulation. Also, the footprint of the HVDC project substation will not change, but the structure will be enclosed in taller buildings than the HVAC alternative. Vattenfall will work with local residents and groups to minimise the substation’s impact.
Commenting on the decision, Nova Fairbank, Public affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber said:
“Vattenfall’s decision to use HVDC shows that they have truly listened to the feedback they have received from both residents and businesses alike. The Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas offshore wind projects have the potential to deliver skills and local jobs for the future generations both onshore and offshore; together with supply chain opportunities to a diverse range sectors – all of which will help increase economic growth in Norfolk.”
Ruari Lean, Vattenfall’s Project Manager of the Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind farm development, said: “We have listened very carefully to what local people told us about our plans for Norfolk Vanguard. In combination with our strategic review of transmission technology, the concerns raised by local people have influenced our decision to adopt pioneering HVDC infrastructure for Norfolk Vanguard. By backing HVDC technology, we will minimise the impact on people and the environment whilst keeping the cost of electricity down for the British consumer.”
Ruari added: “I would like to thank all of those people and organisations who have set out their hopes and concerns in evidence based feedback about our proposals for Norfolk Vanguard. It has been enormously helpful to us.”
Vattenfall will submit final plans for Norfolk Vanguard to the Planning Inspectorate in June 2018. Norfolk Boreas, also 1.8GW, is following Norfolk Vanguard in the planning process.
