Necton Vattenfall wind farm size and footprint of onshore electrical infrastructure to be reduced by a quarter
Vattenfall plans to reduce the size and footprint of the onshore wind farm site near Necton required for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone by around a quarter.
By using newer cables and an innovative configuration of the electricity network, the Swedish power company has been able to reduce the number converter stations to be built from four to three – significantly reducing the footprint of the electrical infrastructure.
Community engagement has been at the heart of delivering the Norfolk Zone projects, and Vattenfall had feedback from local residents which requested the infrastructure be made as discreet as possible in the local landscape.
Alongside the smaller area required, a proposed new layout for the electrical infrastructure will also help it appear more compact and reduce the extent it is visible to the south and north.
Rob Anderson, project director of Vattenfall’s Norfolk Zone, said: “We’re committed to the region so it’s great to be able to use new, innovative solutions to deliver improvements for local communities.
"We’re using cutting-edge engineering that will help us to reduce the overall impact on residents which includes minimising the visual impact.
“The Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm will also be a great boost for the local economy, supporting jobs and growth, as part of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Farm Zone.
"We’ll continue to work closely with communities to make sure that lasting local benefits deliver for people in the region, as well as bringing clean, secure, home-grown power to millions of homes across the country.”
• Among the proposals, the converter stations are oriented in a north-east to south-south-west direction which helps them appear more compact. It is also proposed to locate the convertor buildings in the northern part of the site to minimise visual impact.