Lincolnshire businesses have been given an insight into opportunities with Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm and its contractors, following the project’s first ‘Meet The Buyer’ event.
Organised and delivered by Lincolnshire Growth Hub, the initial event was hosted at Boston College and focused on the innogy-owned project’s almost 60kms onshore electrical system.
The installation of the underground cable and the substation construction present one of the most significant opportunities for local companies to get involved with the project, the developer said.
Lincolnshire County Council Cllr Mark Storer opened the event, alongside Triton Knoll project director Julian Garnsey, who said over 100 new businesses have since been added to the project’s supplier database and will now be receiving regular information and updates on opportunities emerging within the project.
Procurement leads from Triton Knoll and its primary contractors Siemens Transmission and Distribution Limited (STDL), responsible for the onshore substation, and J Murphy & Sons Ltd, responsible for the onshore cable, conducted 1-2-1 interviews with suppliers regarding potential opportunities.
STDL’s Jane Duckworth , Senior Project Procurement Manager, said: “We’ve been contacted by lots of suppliers since the event at the college, all with positive feedback and showing a real interest in the project. It was a really worthwhile venture and I was impressed with the engagement from everyone involved on the day.”
Other regional supplier events are now being planned by Triton Knoll and its contractors which, together with regular planned website updates and the project’s suppliers’ E-newsletter, will aim to help local firms stay up to speed with news and opportunities across all aspects of the project, both onshore and offshore.
Murphy senior subcontract buyer Lukasz Olszewski said: “It was a very encouraging event and we are now exploring a number of leads with local companies to support the onshore works at Triton Knoll. We are looking forward to engaging more with local suppliers in the future.”
Triton Knoll is an innogy-owned offshore wind farm, and has a planned installed capacity of 860MW.
The project was awarded a Contract For Difference in September 2017, and expects to trigger a capital expenditure investment of around GBP 2billion into UK energy infrastructure.
The wind farm will comprise 90 MHI Vestas V164-9.5MW turbines installed some 32km off the Lincolnshire coast and 50km off the coast of North Norfolk.
The project is now progressing towards a financial investment decision, expected in mid-2018, with full onshore construction starting shortly after, and offshore construction starting in 2020.
First energy generation could be achieved as early as mid-2021, with the project expected to begin commissioning in 2021. Innogy is the sole owner and developer of the project.