RWE Renewables has signed a contract with geo-data specialist Fugro, for the offshore site investigation and geophysical works at Dublin Array, in Ireland, and at North Falls and Five Estuaries in the southern North Sea. This follows a successful working relationship between the two companies at Triton Knoll, Sofia and Awel y Môr offshore wind farms.
Fugro is the world’s leading specialist for collecting and analysing comprehensive information about the Earth and the structures built upon it. RWE’s contract builds on a wealth of knowledge and collaboration on other offshore projects over the past few years. The seafloor and geophysical information that result from the project studies will help inform the final design of the each of the projects.
RWE is the second largest offshore wind operator in the UK with nine operational sites and this contract offers significant benefits: with synergies across the three projects and similar scopes of work. The agreement has shortened procurement lead times for projects and the volume of work has led to contract efficiencies. These efficiencies can support the successful development of large-scale offshore projects: multiple contracts such as these will be essential to the deployment of RWE’s future offshore ambitions.
In addition, there are advantages of using the same company and team who have experience of RWE systems, processes, reporting and data requirements. This reduces Health and Safety and programme risks and supports day to day management: processes are streamlined and alignment across both companies ensures efficient delivery of seabed analysis.
Sven Utermöhlen, Chief Operating Officer Wind Offshore Global, RWE Renewables: “We are really pleased to have completed this contract with expert company Fugro. RWE embarked on a transparent procurement process and Fugro offered the most economically advantageous proposal, identifying significant cost savings and programme synergies: and they have also demonstrated technical competence in previous projects.”
“RWE has a large pipeline of new offshore projects, with 2022 again forecast to be a busy survey season for our projects, where we expect to take a similar strategic approach to achieving synergies for our projects. Cross collaboration and learning across teams and projects underpin RWE’s ambitions to build on our position as one of the largest developers of offshore wind in the UK."
Tony Hodgson, Fugro’s Key Account Manager for RWE, said “We are pleased to be engaging with RWE on a procurement leverage framework agreement at a global scale, and are delighted to have been involved in these three projects in UK and Ireland, as it has allowed us to move seamlessly and efficiently between projects.”
RWE’s UK offshore portfolio continues to expand in the UK. Construction of RWE’s 857 megawatt (MW) Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm (RWE’s pro rata share: 506 MW) is highly advanced and expected to be fully commissioned in the first quarter of 2022. RWE has taken the Financial Investment Decision on its 1.4 gigawatt (GW) flagship Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, and onshore construction is now underway.
RWE is also progressing four extension projects in the UK, with a combined potential installed capacity of around 2.6 GW (RWE’s pro rata share: 1.3 GW.) Furthermore, the company successfully bid for two new adjacent offshore sites – also on Dogger Bank – with a potential total installed capacity of 3 GW in The Crown Estate’s Offshore Wind Round 4 Leasing auction.