Galloper Offshore Wind Farm officially inaugurated today

• £1.5 billion investment with almost 60 percent going to UK companies over the lifetime of the project
• Expected to generate on average each year enough green power to meet the annual electricity needs of more than 380,000 UK households
• New Galloper Operations & Maintenance Base in Harwich is set to deliver £10 million boost to the local economy and create around 120 construction jobs

Galloper is owned by innogy SE (25%), Siemens Financial Services (25%), Sumitomo Corporation (12.5%), ESB (12.5%) and a consortium managed by Green Investment Group and Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (25%).  innogy SE has led the development and construction of Galloper Offshore Wind Farm and will operate the wind farm on behalf of the project partners.

Construction of the 353 megawatt (MW) wind farm created 700 jobs, with the foundations installed at a rate of four per week and all 56 turbines constructed in just one season – both firsts for innogy on a project of this scale. Galloper will run for over 20 years, making a significant contribution towards the decarbonisation of the UK’s energy supply. The amount of green power the wind farm is expected to generate on average each year is approximately equal to the annual electricity needs of more than 380,000 UK households ¹.

The Rt Hon Claire Perry MP, Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth, congratulated innogy and everyone involved in Galloper for delivering this “fantastic project”. The Minister said: “The offshore wind sector as a whole has been a great success story as the UK is now a world leader in terms of installed capacity, and that continues to grow every year.  It is a testament to the work Government and industry have done together, that we have brought forward so much of this fantastic energy source at such competitive prices”.

Hans Bünting, COO Renewables of innogy SE said: “I am extremely proud to inaugurate Galloper Offshore Wind Farm, the fifth offshore wind farm that innogy has constructed in the UK. Offshore wind is now a key industrial sector for the UK and offers particular opportunities to key regional hubs, such as East Anglia – the home of both Galloper’s construction base and its operation and maintenance facility.

“With all our projects, we always strive to invest in local businesses and during its operating lifetime, almost 60 percent of the investment in Galloper is expected to go to UK companies. At innogy, we look forward to continuing to play an active role in the impressive UK offshore wind story. We have recently begun construction, together with our partners, on our sixth and largest offshore wind project to date, the 860MW Triton Knoll.”

Galloper Project Director Toby Edmonds added: “Galloper Offshore Wind Farm represents a total investment of around £1.5 billion so it is with thanks to our investment partners that the construction of the wind farm was made possible. Seven hundred jobs were created during construction, a team of 60 will operate the wind farm and it is also supporting many long-term jobs through our local suppliers.

“Galloper was a great team effort with main contractors: Siemens Gamesa , GE and Petrofac, VBMS,  NKT, GeoSea and  National Grid; plus the myriad of national and local suppliers all contributing to  ensuring the wind farm was built with such awe-inspiring speed and efficiency and importantly, with an exemplary safety record of no significant injuries.”

“As an investor in the Galloper Offshore Wind Farm, Siemens Financial Services is excited to see the successful inauguration of this project,” commented Kirk Edelman, CEO of Energy Finance, Siemens Financial Services. “Having been involved with the project since its development phase, this is a significant milestone that we are proud to be part of.”

David Tilstone, Managing Director at Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, said: “The successful delivery of Galloper Wind Farm, on schedule and within budget, marks another significant development in the UK’s journey towards a future powered by clean energy. We are proud of the contribution this innovative project has already made to the local community, and we will work closely with our investment partners to provide a source of green electricity for the UK grid for decades to come”.

“It is our utmost pleasure to celebrate the inauguration of Galloper offshore wind farm. We highly appreciate the effort and achievement of Galloper management team led by innogy as well as the contributions that have been made by all the other shareholders, namely GIG/Macquarie, Siemens, ESB and ourselves. It is remarkable that all the construction work has been completed successfully without any severe safety incident. We are confident that Galloper will contribute to the local society as well as to the greener world,” said Tsutomu Akimoto, Managing Executive Officer, General Manager Infrastructure Business Unit, Sumitomo Corporation.

Commenting on the project,  Jim Dollard, Executive Director, Generation and Trading, says: “ESB’s investment in the Galloper Wind Farm demonstrates our commitment to the transition to a low-carbon economy. Renewable energy is key to this transition with offshore wind playing a fundamental role in this transition, and creating a brighter future for all. This also cements ESB’s long-serving commitment to the UK market where we continue to invest in the energy market both in retail through ESB Energy and in its generation business through such assets as Carrington Power and a range of other renewable investments.”

“We fully supported Galloper’s clear vision and values, which enabled us to create a powerful relationship to jointly deliver the project. We enjoyed a shared understanding of the project’s strong culture and spirit of cooperation, allowing all parties to openly and swiftly solve joint tasks. Congratulations to everyone involved as we mark this milestone today,” says Andreas Nauen, CEO of the Offshore Business Unit at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy.

Earlier this month (14 September) it was announced that the authorities had given the go ahead for the construction of the Galloper Operations & Maintenance base in Harwich International Port, Essex, enabling local contractors to get underway and with the potential to create 120 local jobs during construction.