Vattenfall has selected Peel Ports as the preferred bidder, and its port at Great Yarmouth as the location for the operations and maintenance base of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone in the UK. When completed, Vattenfall’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone will be able to power around 4.6 million homes making it one of the largest offshore wind zones in the world, the developer said.
Approximately 130 new, green-collar jobs would be created with staff directly employed for the lifetime of the project which is around 35 years. Recruitment for the new jobs should begin in 2026 and last for around two years.
Vattenfall is already engaging with local schools, colleges, and universities to encourage local awareness and to boost the skills that will be required to work in the sector.
Vattenfall said that the competition was fierce to secure the agreement with an excellent bid from Lowestoft and Associated British Ports. With both ports offering excellent services it is clear that East Anglia’s potential as a superpower of offshore wind is secure.
”It is fantastic news to be selected by Vattenfall as preferred bidder for this operation and maintenance contract. This decision continues to show the confidence in the role of Great Yarmouth Port as a key enabler in the green energy sector, with tremendous potential to grow,” Richard Goffin , Port Director South East cluster, Peel Ports Group, said.
”We will continue to work collaboratively with the market alongside our valued stakeholders and strengthen our position with further expansion planned. We are proud to support the growth of the sector by providing a platform for projects such as the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone.”
Vattenfall’s base will be at the new GBP 21.4-million O&M Campus commissioned by Norfolk County Council in a partnership project in collaboration with Great Yarmouth Borough Council and the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership.
The government must now play its role in helping to support East Anglia and the region’s efforts to secure long-term, green jobs and investment by providing a policy and financial framework that delivers value for money for customers and is investable for developers, the energy company said.
”We’re really pleased to be working with Peel Ports who’ll be providing us with a home for our Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone. It should be a great economic boost for the area with around 130 long-term jobs helping to manage the Wind Zone, one of the world’s largest,” Rob Anderson , Project Director of Vattenfall’s Norfolk Zone, said.
”All we need now is for government to play its part by providing a financial framework that gives us the certainty we need to invest so that local people can start seeing the benefits.”
The final decision for Vattenfall’s investment is contingent on the UK government’s policy and financial framework for offshore wind.
The Norfolk Zone comprises the Norfolk Vanguard and the Norfolk Boreas offshore wind farms.
Located 72 kilometres off the Norfolk coast in southeast Britain, the 1.4 GW Norfolk Boreas is the first phase of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone for which Vattenfall secured a Contract for Difference in July this year.
Subject to a final investment decision, construction on the project will begin next year and the wind farm is expected to produce its first power in 2027.
Norfolk Vanguard is located some 47 kilometres from the Norfolk coast. The wind farm was awarded a Development Consent Order (DCO) in February 2022.