Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm

Gunfleet Sands 1 & 3

The farm from a passing ship, 30 September 2010

Country| England, United Kingdom
Location| Northern Thames Estuary 7 km (4.3 mi) off Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
Coordinates| 51°44′22″N 1°10′28″E﻿ / ﻿51.73944°N 1.17444°E﻿ / 51.73944; 1.17444
Status| Operational
Construction began| 2008
Commission date| 2010
Owner(s)| Orsted (51%)
Marubeni Corporation / Bank of Japan (remainder)
Wind farm
Type| Offshore
Power generation
Units operational| 48
Make and model| Siemens Wind Power SWT-3.6-107
Nameplate capacity| 172MW
Capacity factor| ~30-35%
External links
Website| www.dongenergy.com/gunfleetsands/Pages/Index.aspx
Commons| Related media on Commons

[edit on Wikidata]

Wind farm layout

Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm is a 172 MW wind farm about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) off the Clacton-on-Sea coast in the Northern Thames Estuary.

The 108 MW Gunfleet Sands 1 wind farm gained planning consent in 2003/4; in 2006 DONG Energy (now Ørsted) acquired the project and submitted an application for a second 64 MW windfarm Gunfleet Sands 2 adjacent to the first, which received consent in 2008. Construction of both mounting Siemens Wind Power SWT-3.6-107 turbines took place between 2008 and 2010.

In 2010 planning began on a demonstration project Gunfleet Sands 3, used to test Siemens' 6 MW wind turbine model; two such turbines were installed in 2013.

## Gunfleet Sands 1 & 2[edit]

Gunfleet Sands 1 & 2 are 7 km southeast of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex; in water at depths of 2 to 15 m (6 ft 7 in to 49 ft 3 in) (given spring-to-neap tidal range of about 4.6 m); Gunfleet 1 consists of 30 turbines in a 5×6 array, whilst Gunfleet 2 consists of a 9×2 array adjacent, to the southeast; the installed capacities are 108 and 64 MW respectively. The average wind speed is 8.8 m/s (29 ft/s) at 60 m elevation.[1]

The turbines connect to a 33 kV offshore substation, which steps up the transmission voltage to 132 kV; the export cable makes landfall at Holland Haven (next to Holland-on-Sea), and underground cables connect it to the National Grid at the Cooks Green substation.[2][3]

### Development[edit]

Such development near Clacton-on-Sea began in 1996 under Windmaster Developments;[4] Windmaster was acquired by Enron in 2000, and passed to General Electric (GE Wind Energy) in 2002.[5] A Round 1 concession for the development was awarded in 2001, and planning consents obtained in 2003/4.[1][6][7]

In June 2006 a consent application and environmental statement was submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry for permission to build and operate an extension (Gunfleet Sands 2) to the consented project: up to 22 further turbines with an additional capacity of 64 MW.[8] In December 2006 DONG Energy acquired the 100-megawatt "Gunfleet 1" project from GE.[9]

A contract for 30 Siemens Wind Power 3.6 MW turbines was signed in April 2007.[10]

The application for Gunfleet Sands 2 rested with decision maker the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in June 2007,[11] who gave its permission the next year.[1]

### Construction[edit]

Turbines visible from Clacton-on-Sea beyond Clacton Pier

Construction began in 2008, with initial work including onshore infrastructure and cable installation.[11] A formal groundbreaking ceremony was held in April 2008.[12] The first turbine was installed in April 2009.[13]

MT Højgaard was contracted to instal the monopile foundations; work started in October 2008;[14] Sif supplied the monopiles and transition pieces,[15] and Smulders supplied the wind turbine foundations,[16]

The cabling was supplied by Prysmian,[17][18] Bladt Industries constructed the offshore monopile substation superstructure,[18][19] with electrical equipment supplied by Areva T&D and ABB Group.[18]

Construction of the wind farm was delayed, due to cable layer Oceanteam going into administration in May 2009 and the breakdown of liftboat KS Titan 2.[20]

Electrical generation began in August 2009.[21] The wind farm was fully operational by March 2010; the wind farm was formally opened on 15 June 2010 by Anders Eldrup (DONG Energy) and the UK's Energy Minister Charles Hendry. Cost of the development was 4 billion Danish Kroner.[22] Large-scale development of British wind farms was enabled by their kickstart subsidies: set in 2010 at a long term rate of 1.20 Danish Kroner per kWh, compared to about 0.50 Kroner (Horns Rev 2) in Denmark.[23]

An operations and servicing center was built in Brightlingsea, Essex where a former boatyard stood.[24][25][26]

Satellite image of the Thames Estuary with Gunfleet Sands top left.

### Operational history[edit]

The wind farm produced between 450 and 520 GWh between 2010 and 2012, with a capacity factor of 31-35% (2011/12).[27] Its levelised cost has been put at £122 per MWh.[28]

The transmission assets were divested in July 2011 to TC Gunfleet Sands OFTO Limited due to regulatory change.[29]

In September 2011 Marubeni Corporation acquired a 49.9% shareholding of the farm for £200 million.[30] In 2013 Marubeni divested part of its stake to the Development Bank of Japan.[31]

During the St Jude storm of October 2013, wind speeds of 65 metres per second (150 mph) were measured at the wind farm.[32]

## Gunfleet Sands 3[edit]

Gunfleet Sands 3

Official name| Gunfleet Sands demonstration project
Country|

* United Kingdom

Location|

* Gunfleet Sands

Coordinates| 51°42′11″N 1°11′28″E﻿ / ﻿51.703°N 1.191°E﻿ / 51.703; 1.191
Status| Operational
Commission date|

* 2010

Owner(s)|

* Development Bank of Japan
* JERA
* Ørsted

Wind farm
Type|

* Offshore

Power generation
Units operational| 2
Make and model| Siemens Wind Power SWT-6.0-120
Nameplate capacity|

* 172 MW

External links
Website| www.dongenergy.com/gunfleetsands/Pages/Index.aspx
Commons| Related media on Commons

[edit on Wikidata]

### Ambit[edit]

A planning application for the Gunfleet Sands 3 - Demonstration Project (GFS 3) was submitted in 2010. The project consisted of a wind farm about 1 km2 (0.39 sq mi) 8.5 km southeast of Clacton. It was for testing new wind farm equipment ready for the Round 3 wind farm letting process. Two wind turbine installations were proposed.[33]

The development required a separate export cable and grid connection to the prior farm; a planning application for the onshore electrical facilities and cabling was submitted in November 2011.[34]

### Suppliers[edit]

Inter-array and export cables (at 33 kV) were supplied by JDR Cables.[35]

The monopile foundations and transition pieces were supplied by Bladt Industries and installed by Ballast Nedam in 2012.[36][37] Two Siemens 6MW turbines were installed in January 2013 by A2SEA.[38]

### Productivity[edit]

The site began generating power in April 2013.[39] A blade replacement took place in mid 2013 after one of the tips was damaged.[40] The facility was officially opened on 12 September 2013 by UK Energy Minister Greg Barker.[41][42]

## See also[edit]

* England portal
* Weather portal
* Renewable energy portal

* Wind power in the United Kingdom
* List of offshore wind farms in the United Kingdom
* List of offshore wind farms in the North Sea
* List of offshore wind farms

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c Hjelmsted 2008, p. 6.
2. ^ About Gunfleet Sands (Dong) Offshore substation
3. ^ Sources:
* "(03/00011/FUL) Excavation of trench and drilling for installation of electric cable between an off-shore wind farm and the electricity sub-station, and extension to existing sub-station". Tendring District Council. 3 January 2003. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
* "(06/00445/FUL) Alteration to application 03/00011/FUL". Tendring District Council. 13 March 2006. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
* "(08/00421/FUL) Installation of electric cable between a consented off-shore wind farm and existing electricity substation. (Modification to planning permission 03/00011/FUL awarded on 4th March 2003 and subsequent planning permission 06/00445/FUL)". Tendring District Council. 11 March 2008. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
4. ^ Schoon, Nicholas (12 February 1997). "Giant turbines star in end of the pier show at Clacton". www.independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
5. ^ "Wind Energy Power Plants in the UK - offshore". The Power Plants Around the World Photo Gallery (www.industcards.com). Gunfleet Sands. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
6. ^ "Essex sand bank is site for wind farm". eadt.co.uk. 23 October 2003. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
7. ^ "The Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm Order 2004" (Statutory Instrument). 2004. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
8. ^ "Gunfleet Sands 2 – Project Briefing Note Number 1" (PDF). Dong Energy. 18 June 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
9. ^ "DONG Energy expands its UK offshore wind portfolio". www.dongenergy.com. 18 December 2006. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
10. ^ "DONG Energy signs contract for delivery of wind turbines for Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm". www.dongenergy.com. 19 April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
11. ^ a b "Gunfleet Sands – Project Briefing Note Number 2" (PDF). DONG Energy. 11 February 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
12. ^ "Gunfleet Sands – Project Briefing Note Number 3" (PDF). DONG Energy. 30 April 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
13. ^ "First Round 2-turbine installed at DONG Energy's Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm project". www.dongenergy.co.uk. 1 April 2009. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
14. ^ "Gunfleet Sands - a challenging location". mth.com. 25 May 2010. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
15. ^ "Sif - References, Offshore wind" (PDF). ww.sif-group.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
16. ^ "Gunfleet Sands Project". www.smulders-foundations.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
17. ^ [dead link]"Prysmian secures strategic cable contracts worth a total 35 Million Euro for major Offshore Wind Power Plants". investoren.prysmian.com (Press release). 14 November 2007. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
18. ^ a b c Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm (LORC) Substations, Inter-Array & Export Cables
19. ^ "Gunfleet Sands Offshore". www.stateofgreen.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
20. ^ Dwan, James. "Gunfleet Sands wind farm firm goes under". Archived from the original on 5 June 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
21. ^ "First power from the first Round 2 offshore wind farm — DONG Energy's Gunfleet Sands project". www.dongenergy.co.uk. 20 August 2009. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
22. ^ Holm, Erik (15 June 2010). "Briterne runder 1 GW vindkraft". ing.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 17 June 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
23. ^ Holm, Erik (16 June 2010). "Massiv udbygning skal gøre Storbritannien førende inden for havvind". ing.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 17 June 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
24. ^ Brading, Wendy (17 January 2009). "Brightlingsea: Wind farm construction bringing money into town". www.essexcountystandard.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
25. ^ About Gunfleet Sands (Dong) Operation and maintenance
26. ^ "(08/01225/FUL) Demolition of existing boat building yard and outbuildings and erection of new three storey office accommodation ..." Tendring District Council. 29 August 2009. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
27. ^ Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm (LORC) Production & Performance
28. ^ Aldersey-Williams, John; Broadbent, Ian; Strachan, Peter (2019). "Better estimates of LCOE from audited accounts – A new methodology with examples from United Kingdom offshore wind and CCGT". Energy Policy. 128: 25–35. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2018.12.044. hdl:10059/3298.
29. ^ "Terms in place for the divestment of the transmission assets af the Gunfleet Sands offshore wind farm". www.dongenergy.com. 19 July 2011. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
30. ^ "Marubeni Corporation to become co-owner of Gunfleet Sands offshore wind farm". www.dongenergy.com (Press release). Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
31. ^ "Marubeni Corporation to Divest Part of Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm Shares". www.marubeni.com. 27 December 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
32. ^ Holm, Erik; Wittrup, Sanne (29 October 2013). "Tre havvindparker koblede ud under stormen". ing.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
33. ^ Gunfleet Sands 3 - Environmental statement (Non-tech.) (December 2010) pp.2,3
34. ^ "(1/01311/FUL) Installation of cables in conjunction with the Gunfleet Sands Wind Farm from landfall at Martello Bay coach and car park to the Veolia Water site at the Waterglade Retail Park and the erection of a substation at the Veolia Water Site". Tendring District Council. 1 November 2011. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
35. ^ "Gunfleet Sands". jdrglobal.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
36. ^ "Bladt ships Gunfleet feet". renews.biz. 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
37. ^ "Gunfleet Sands 3 Offshore Wind Farm" (PDF). Ballast Nedam Offshore. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
38. ^ "Siemens giants go up at Gunfleet". renews.biz. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
39. ^ "Siemens 6MW Offshore Wind Turbines Produce First Power at Gunfleet Sands (UK)". www.offshorewind.biz. 18 April 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
40. ^ "Blade swap complete at Gunfleet 3". renews.biz. 14 August 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
41. ^ "Next generation of offshore turbines tested at gunfleet sands". Department of Energy & Climate Change. 12 September 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
42. ^ "Dong Opens Gunfleet Sands Demo Site". www.breakbulk.com. 13 September 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.

### Sources[edit]

Gunfleet 1 & 2

* "About Gunfleet Sands". www.dongenergy.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013.
* "Gunfleet Sands 1 & 2" (PDF). DONG Energy. May 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 August 2012.
* Hjelmsted, Per (2008). "DONG Energy's internationale Havmølleaktiviteter" (PDF). Dansk Vindkraftkonference. DONG Energy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
* "Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm". www.lorc.dk. Archived from the original on 26 March 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2011.

Gunfleet 3

* "Gunfleet Sands 3 - Demonstration Project - Environmental Statement - Non-Technical Summary" (PDF). DONG Energy. December 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
* "Gunfleet Sands 3 - Demonstration Project". www.4coffshore.com. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2014.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gunfleet Sands Wind Farm.

"Gunfleet Sands Offshore Wind Farm 7km off Clacton On Sea Essex". www.youtube.com. BBC. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021.

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