SSE Renewables, which is leading the development of Dogger Bank Wind Farms, the largest offshore wind farm in the world, said on Tuesday the project will use the world’s most powerful wind turbine.

Dogger Bank Wind Farms unveiled GE Renewable Energy as its preferred turbine supplier. 

Under the new deal, GE Renewable Energy will supply Dogger Bank with its next generation of offshore technology, the ground-breaking Haliade-X turbine, the world’s most powerful wind turbine.

The final number of turbines to be installed at Dogger Bank will be confirmed in due course. 

Dogger Bank Wind Farms is a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between Norway’s Equinor and SSE Renewables.

The projects are expected to trigger approximately £9 billion of capital investment between 2020 and 2026 into low carbon infrastructure and deliver substantial economic benefits to the UK. 

The overall wind farm comprises three 1.2GW projects located in the North Sea, approximately 130km from the UK’s Yorkshire Coast.

The projects were recently successful in the latest Contracts for Difference (CfDs) Allocation Round, the UK Government’s auction for renewable power. 

SSE Renewables will lead the development and construction phases of Dogger Bank and Equinor will lead on operations once completed. 

Paul Cooley, Director of Capital Projects at SSE Renewables, said: “The joint Equinor and SSE Renewables project team on Dogger Bank is excited to work with GE Renewable Energy to introduce the next generation of offshore wind turbine to the UK, and to be the first European wind farm to install and operate these innovative turbines.

“Dogger Bank will now be home to the largest offshore wind turbines in the world and to this pioneering low carbon technology, which will play a central role in helping the UK become carbon neutral by 2050.” 

Dogger Bank Wind Farms Project Director, Bjørn Ivar Bergemo, said: “Our success in the CfD auction was due in large part to the relationships we have built with our supply chain, which enabled the lowest ever strike prices.

“The Haliade-X represents a step change in turbine technology, and we look forward to working with GE Renewable Energy to maximise innovation and supply chain benefits for the UK.” 

The Dogger Bank projects will have a combined capacity of up to 3.6GW, making it the largest wind farm in the world.

It will be able to provide enough clean, low-carbon energy to power over 4.5 million homes annually, equivalent to around 5% of the UK’s estimated electricity generation.