Partnering with WREN, questionnaires are sent to offshore wind energy developers around the world who are involved in environmental monitoring. This page provides contextual project information and highlights environmental monitoring, providing links to available data and reports. Content is updated annually.

Humber Gateway

Description

Humber Gateway is a fully commissioned offshore wind farm owned and operated by RWE Renewables, and originally developed by Humber Wind Limited (a subsidiary of E.ON UK). In 2015, the 219 MW wind farm became fully operational with all 73 turbines generating two months ahead of schedule. It can generate enough energy to power up to 199,000 UK homes.

The “Greater Wash Strategic Environmental Assessment Area” was a region identified as a potential wind farm area in the UK Round 2 wind farm development, including areas in the sea off the east coast of England in Holderness, Lincolnshire, the Wash, and north Norfolk.

Location

Humber Gateway is a 26 square km offshore wind farm located 8 km off the Holderness, East Yorkshire coats, just north of the mouth of the river Humber. Its operations and maintenance base is located in Grimsby and its grid connection point is in Hedon. 

Licensing Information

  • December 2020: Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signed 
  • 2010: Planning permission for the onshore substation and cable spur granted 
  • 2009: Submitted planning application for the onshore substations and cable spur 
  • 2008: Submitted planning applications for the offshore wind farm (300 MW, £700 million) and onshore underground cable 

Project Timeline

  • 2020: Ownership transferred to RWE Renewables 

  • December 2020: Corporate PPA Secured 

  • May 2016: Performance Monitoring upon first full year of generation 

  • May 2015: Fully Commissioned 

  • 2014: Installation of offshore cabling begins 

  • July 2013: Offshore Construction Starts 

  • 2012: Onshore cable installation and substation connection to National Grid start and site is confirmed for the Operations and Maintenance base at Grimsby dock 

  • December 2011: Onshore Construction Starts 

  • February 2011: Offtake Conditionally Secured 

  • 2007: Prepared the Environmental Statement to accompany planning application; and, held five public exhibitions to give the local community an opportunity to learn more about plans 

  • 2005: Began more detailed investigations and extensive surveys to understand the local environment 

  • 2004: Consultation to understand the views of key statutory bodies on Humber Gateway (to form basis of Scoping Report) 

  • 2003: Assessed the Greater Wash Strategic and submitted a bid to the Crown Estate to develop a wind farm 

  • 2002: Government identified three strategic areas suitable for offshore wind farm development

Key Environmental Issues

Surveys were carried out within the Humber Gateway site, subsea cable route areas and surrounding areas to characterise the ecology of the subtidal area and results indicated that the seabed is typical for the region, although there are some features of interest. Several important crustacean species, including lobster, are also present in the area.

Fish surveys carried out within the Humber Gateway site and surrounding areas confirmed that the fish species present are typical of the Holderness Coast and southern North Sea area. Studies were carried out which identified the presence of a number of important species. The Twaite Shad (which migrates through the inshore cable corridor area) is of particular nature conservation interest.

A marine mammal survey confirmed the presence of three key species (harbour porpoise, grey seal and common seal) in the vicinity of the Humber Gateway site.

Bird surveys, by air and boat, were carried out to establish both the species and numbers present in the vicinity of the Humber Gateway site. The birds recorded were mostly seabirds, however occasionally some migratory waterfowl and passerines (perching birds) were noted. Also of note were rafts of flightless Auks that occur in late summer and early autumn during their post-breeding feather moult.

An assessment was also carried out to consider whether or not there could be any impacts that would not be significant with Humber Gateway alone, but which could be significant when the effects of other projects in the vicinity (such as aggregate extraction, marine disposal, dredging operations, pipeline construction, natural processes and also other users of the sea) are taken into consideration.

Metadata Documents

Environmental Papers and Reports

Additional Humber Gateway data can be found on the Marine Data Exchange. 

Environmental Monitoring: Humber Gateway

Phase Stressor & Receptor Design and Methods Results Publications Data
Baseline Birds , Fish , Marine Mammals Fish, Marine Mammal, and Bird Surveys
Fish, Marine Mammal, and Bird (air and boat) surveys carried out within the Humber Gateway site and surrounding areas. 		Complete
Surveys confirmed that the fish species present are typical of the Holderness Coast and southern North Sea area.
A marine mammal survey confirmed the presence of three key species (harbour porpoise, grey seal, and common seal).
Birds recorded were mostly seabirds, however occasionally some migratory waterfowl and passerines were noted. 		E.ON 2009 No data publicly available.
Baseline Physical Environment Intertidal and Benthic Surveys 
During April 2005, intertidal sampling was carried out along three high to low show transects, each comprising of three sampling stations.  Between November 2004 and April 2005, subtidal microfaunal sampling, epifaunal trawl surveys, and macrofaunal surveys were conducted.  		Complete 
The sediments at the intertidal ecology baseline survey sites largely composed of coarse sand and gravel overlaying boulder clay that becomes exposed in places.

357 species representing 22 phyla of marine invertebrates were recorded during the benthic macrofaunal survey.

75 qualitative epifaunal species and 28 quantitative species were recorded during beam trawl surveys. 		E.ON 2008

2008, ABP Mer, Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm, Coastal Processes Baseline Assessment 
Baseline Fish Trawl and Net Surveys
Trawl surveys were undertaken in November 2004 and March 2005 to provide information on the distribution and ecology of fish and shellfish resources in the Humber Gateway area. Stomach analysis was carried out on a range of abundant species collected during the site specific surveys in March 2005.

Net surveys were conducted in March 2007. A data review of Cefas reports and other research publications, ICES stock assessment reports and FishMap species summaries, academic journals detailing spawning grounds, nursery habitats, feeding and migration, Fishbase’s online fish information database, and NESFC annual statistics was also conducted. 		Complete 
During the March 2005 fish trawl surveys, 21 fish species were recorded from 11 trawls. The assemblage was found to be dominated by small demersal and benthic species. The long spined sea scorpion Taurulus bubalis was the dominant species, in conjunction with the whiting Merlangius merlangus. Other key species included pogge Agonus cataphractus, pouting Trisopterus luscus, herring Clupea harengus, cod Gadus morhua, dab Limanda limanda and flounder Platichthys flesus, but all were present in low abundance and are representative of the fish assembly at that time. 		E.ON 2008

2004-2005, Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies, Humber Gateway, Baseline Study of the Marine Ecology 
Baseline Marine Mammals Aerial and Boat-Based Surveys 
Aerial and boat-based surveys were conducted on a monthly basis over a two-year period.  		Complete 
The surveys confirmed that common seal Phoca vitulina vitulina, grey seal Halichoerus grypus and harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena occurred in the study area throughout the year. A total of 88 harbour porpoises, 78 grey seals and eight common seals were recorded. One other species of cetacean was seen but could not be identified to species level. A total of 30 unidentified seals were recorded, the majority of which were thought likely to be grey seals given the relative abundances of each species recorded. 		E.ON 2008

2003-2005, RPS, Humber Gateway, Marine Mammal Survey 
Baseline Birds Bird Surveys and Data Analysis 
An extensive two-year survey program (aerial and boat-based) was undertaken on and around the Humber Gateway site between September 2003 and December 2005. This was part of the EIA and in accordance with relevant survey guidance and best practice, and included both aerial surveys and boat-based surveys. Three additional months of surveys were also undertaken between September and December 2005, over and above that requested by Natural England. 		Complete 
The red-throated diver was the most recorded diver species. The majority of records of northern fulmar were made during and immediately after the breeding season, with up to 20 birds recorded during June in both 2004 and 2005. Manx, Sooty, and Unidentified Shearwaters, Leach’s pestrel, northern gannet, great cormorant, European shag, pink-footed goose, Eurasian wigeon, common scoter, great, arctic, and unidentified skua, little, black-headed, mew, lesser black-backed, herring, and great black-backed gull, black-legged kittiwake, sandwich, common, arctic, and commic tern, common guillemot, razorbill, Atlantic puffin, and little auk were also observed.  		E.ON 2008

2003-2005, RPS, Humber Gateway, Marine Mammal Survey 

2003-2008, Institute of Estaurine and Coastal Studies, Humber Gateway, Seabird Survey Programme

2004, Bird Management Unit, Humber Gateway, Remote Bird Monitoring
Baseline Physical Environment Benthic Survey 
Vessel surveys were undertaken in January, March, and April 2013. Water quality and tidal conditions were not ideal for video survey during the benthic survey so for purposes of providing additional information on seabed sediments and epibenthic communities for future assessment following construction the drop-down video survey was repeated during neap tides in April 2013.  		Complete 
The sediments at the survey sites exhibit a degree of variability reflecting the heterogeneous nature of the seabed in the study area but are for the most part characterised by coarse mixed sediments comprising of gravel or sandy gravel with stones and shell and varying quantities of coarser substrata such as small cobble or large pebbles along with a variable but generally low mud content.  		Precision Marine Survey Ltd 2012, Precision Marine Survey Ltd 2013 No data publicly available.
Baseline Invertebrates , Physical Environment Geophysical Video Survey
Surveys were undertaken using drop down video using a Seaviewer 650 system linked to a Sea-Trak GPS overlay system which was deployed from the survey vessel Lizzard. Video surveys at the met mast were carried out in early August, late August, September, October, and November in 2009 and most recently in May 2010. Surveys of the inshore cable route were undertaken in August 2009 and May 2010. 		Complete 
Visibility was limited in many cases and somewhat poor on some occasions and due to the nature of the video deployment the positioning and coverage of the camera will be dictated by local tidal and weather conditions on the day for the met mast scour assessment. A more detailed survey was recommended.

On the inshore cable route assessment, the seabed habitats were generally characteristic of much of the inshore area of the Holderness coast with a patchy and mixed substratum. Recorded crustacean species included: edible crab, velvet crab, and lobster. The most notable feature of this area was the extensive areas of exposed boulder clay typically present as raised ridges or platforms. 		Precision Marine Survey Ltd 2010

2010, PMSL Ltd., Humber Gateway Met Mast and Inshore Cable Route Video Survey 
Baseline Birds Bird Surveys
Aerial surveys were undertaken approximately once per month over the first winter period 2003/4. Data from the surveys was used to produce distribution maps showing the locations of bird observations during the aerial surveys and density values of key bird species recorded within the survey area.
Between September 2003 and December 2005, 29 boat-based surveys were carried out on approximately a monthly bases. 		Complete
The Red-throated Diver was the most commonly recorded diver species recorded during the survey programme. The Northern Fulmar was regularly recorded during the survey programme, with shearwaters and petrels less commonly encountered. 		University of Hull 2007

2003-2008, Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies, Humber Gateway, Seabird Survey Programme
Baseline Marine Mammals Marine Mammal Surveys
Boat and aerial bird surveys were conducted during which incidental sightings of marine mammals were recorded. In addition, a dedicated marine mammal surveyor was used during four of the vessel-based survey trips between May 2004 and April 2005. Aerial surveys occurred approximately once per moth over a two year period. 		Complete
Common and grey seals were recorded during the vessel-based surveys. The harbour porpoise was the most common cetacean and the only one that was confidently identified to species during the surveys. 		Shepherd 2005

2003-2005, RPS, Humber Gateway, Marine Mammal Survey
Baseline Birds Bird Survey
An avian radar survey was conducted in October 2004 in the vicinity of the proposed Humber Wind Farm. Sea watching and boat-based observations were conducted as well. 		Complete
Over the four-day period, the radar detected and logged 21,306 bird tracks.
Large gulls, sea-ducks, geese, swans, and gannets were observed during sea watching observations. 		Walls et al. 2004 No data publicly available.
Baseline Invertebrates Inter- and Sub-tidal surveys
Surveys were carried out within the Humber Gateway site, subsea cable route areas and surrounding areas. 		Complete
Surveys indicated that invertebrates living in the seabed were extremely scarce, with only 14 individuals found across the area. No species living on the seabed were identified in the intertidal zone. 		E.ON 2009 No data publicly available.
Baseline Physical Environment Metocean and Geophysical Surveys 
Metocean and geophysical surveys were carried out between March and November 2004 at a location central to the Humber Gateway site. A benthic survey was undertaken during December 2004. An additional survey was undertaken in December 2006 in order to determine the sediment characteristics of some “spiky features” identified from the geophysical survey within the nearshore cable route area.   		Complete 
With the exception of the southern edge, the Humber Gateway site is not covered by any extensive areas of mobile sediment. The seabed consists of the same material as the soft glacial cliffs of the Holderness Coast. The shallow geological sequence across the site is dominated by the Bolders Bank formation over a thick sequence of Upper Cretaceous Chalk bedrock.    		E.ON 2008

2004, ABPmer, Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm, Metocean Survey

2004, Titan Environmental Surveys Ltd., Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm, Baseline Geophysical Survey

2004-2005, Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies, Humber Gateway, Baseline Study of the Marine Ecology
Operations Avoidance

Birds 		Bird-Detecting Radar Surveys
The 2015 autumn passage and flight activity associated with Pink-footed geese through the Humber Gateway Wind Farm to compare this data with pre-construction data from a comparable 2012 study. A bird detecting radar unit was sited near Southfield Farm along Spurn Road, Kilnsea. Continuous radar surveys were carried out between 14 September and 20 November 2015. The surveys were combined with visual observations undertaken by radar ornithologists for 7 hours/day. 		Complete
A total of 312 goose tracks were detected by radar, of which 117 were matched with visual observations. Information on flight altitude was collected for 105 flocks.
There were fewer goose tracks within the wind farm footprint than in the pre-construction study. 		Jones et al. 2015

2015, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Humber Gateway, Pink-footed Goose Radar Survey