Scroby Sands Wind Farm

Wind Project Site

Title: Scroby Sands Wind Farm

Status:

In Operation

Project Manager:

RWE Renewables (RWE)

Turbine Developer:

Vestas Wind Systems A/S

Website:

External Link

Construction Start:

November 1, 2003

Operation Start:

December 31, 2004

Info Last Updated:

October 22, 2024

Contact:

Kinson Ma
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Details

Technology:

Fixed Offshore Wind

Project Scale:

Commercial Farm

Turbine Model:

V80-2MW

Hub Height:

60m

Rotor Diameter:

80 m

Number of Turbines:

Capacity per Turbine:

2 MW

Installed Capacity:

60 MW

Support Structure:

Monopile

Export Cables:

Export Cable Voltage:

33 kV

Number of Export Cables:

Cable Landfall:

Trenched

Physical Site:

Shallow Water (<60m), Marine, Soft-Bottom Habitat

Water Depth:

3 - 12 m

Distance from Shore:

2.5 km

Country:

United Kingdom

Description

Scroby Sands Wind Farm, originally developed by E.ON UK and now operated by RWE, is one of the UK’s first commercial offshore wind farms. Scroby Sands occupies an area of 10 square kilometers and consists of 30 Vestas turbines with a capacity of 60 MW that can produce power to supply over 48,000 UK households.

Scroby Sands was built on a prehistoric sandbank which, because of natural changes in the marine environment and coastal erosion, has risen over time and effectively isolated four turbines from being accessed by service vessels. As a result, RWE, in partnership with Commercial Rib Charters (CRC), designed and built a world-first amphibious vessel for reaching offshore wind farms in shallow waters (named CRC Walrus).

Location

The Scroby Sands Wind Farm is located on the Scroby Sands sandbank in the North Sea. It is 2.5 km off the coast of Great Yarmouth on the east coast of Anglia.

The cables were brought ashore in Great Yarmouth, North Denes and connected to the local grid network system in Great Yarmouth, Admiralty Road substation.

Licensing Information

5 September 2003: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issued Seabed Lease Licence No 31271/02/0 (September 5, 2003 until March 31, 2005)
17 April 2002: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issued Seabed Lease Licence No 31271/02/0 (April 1, 2003 until March 31, 2005)

Project Timeline

March 2005: Farm Formally Opened 31
December 2004: Commercial Completion
December 2004: All Turbines Online Together
November 2004: Reliability Testing Completed
October 2004: Completion of All Turbines
May 2004: Inter-Array Cabling
20 July 2004: Production of the First Turbine
April 2004: Onshore Cable Installation
November 2003: Foundation Installation
February 2003: Project Awarded
February 2003: Second Invitation to Tender and Evaluation of Bids
June 2002: First Invitation to Tender and Evaluation of Bids
1995: Anemometry Mast Installed
1993 – 1994: Site Assessment

Key Environmental Issues

Scroby Sands identified major areas associated with seal haul-out, so offshore construction commenced in the spring with the foundation installation to the south of the site and progressed to the north, avoiding proximity to the seal haul-out area during any pupping periods. Turbine installation took place from the north to the south, thus minimizing effects on seals later in the year during moutling.

Metadata Documents

Little tern Sternula albifrons use of Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm in 2013 (Perrow et al. 2013)
Likely Effects of Construction of Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm on a Mixed Population of Harbour Phoca vitulina and Grey Halichoerus grypus Seals (Skeate et al. 2012)
Effects of the Construction of Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm on the Prey Base of Little Tern Sternula albifons at its Most Important UK Colony (Perrow et al. 2011)
Strategic Review of Offshore Wind Farm Monitoring Data Associated with FEPA Licence Conditions: Marine Mammals (Philpott et al. 2009)
Strategic Review of Offshore Wind Farm Monitoring Data Associated with FEPA Licence Conditions: Birds (Budgey and Ormston 2009)
Strategic Review of Offshore Wind Farm Monitoring Data Associated with FEPA Licence Conditions: Benthic Ecology (Walker et al. 2009)
Strategic Review of Offshore Wind Farm Monitoring Data Associated with FEPA Licence Conditions: Fish (Walker et al. 2009)
Strategic Review of Offshore Wind Farm Monitoring Data Associated with FEPA Licence Conditions: Underwater Noise (Pattenden et al. 2009)
Scroby Sands Ornithological Monitoring: Assessing the impacts of the Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm upon Little Tern Sternula albifrons: summary of monitoring programme 2002-2006 (ECON Ecological Consultancy 2008)
Dynamics of Scour Pits and Scour Protection - Synthesis Report and Recommendations (Whitehouse et al. 2008)
Case Study: European Offshore Wind Farms - A Survey for the Analysis of the Experiences and Lessons Learnt by Developers of Offshore Wind Farms (Gerdes et al. 2008)
Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm: Seal Monitoring: Analysis of the 2006 post-construction aerial surveys and summary of the monitoring programme results from 2002-2006 (Skeate and Perrow 2008)
Measurement and Interpretation of Underwater Noise During Construction and Operation of Offshore Windfarms in UK Waters (Nedwell et al. 2007)
Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm - Coastal Processes Monitoring (Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) 2006)
Radio Telemetry as a Tool for Impact Assessment of Wind Farms: The Case of Little Terns Sterna albifrons at Scroby Sands, Norfolk, UK (Perrow et al. 2006)
Scroby Sands Seal Monitoring: Analysis of the 2005 Post-Construction Aerial Surveys (Skeate and Perrow 2005)
Scroby Sands Ornithological Monitoring: Assessing the potential impact of the proposed wind farm upon Little tern Sterna albifrons: the construction phase 2004 (Perrow et al. 2005)
Measurements of Underwater Noise During Construction of Offshore Wind Farms and Comparison with Background Noise (Nedwell et al. 2004)
Scroby Sands Seal Monitoring: Analysis of 2003 aerial surveys and summary of baseline data (Perrow and Skeate 2004)
Assessment of Sub-Sea Acoustic Noise and Vibration from Offshore Wind Turbines and its Impact on Marine Wildlife; Initial Measurements of Underwater Noise during Construction of Offshore Windfarms, and Comparison with Background Noise (Nedwell et al. 2003)
Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Statement (PowerGen Renewables Development Limited (PRDL) 2001)

Phase	Stressor & Receptor	Design and Methods	Results	Publications	Data
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Displacement Marine Mammals	Aerial surveys Aerial photographic surveys of the principal Scroby Sands sandbar were conducted approximately every two weeks between April and September before construction (2002 and 2003), during construction (2004), and after construction (2005 and 2006). From 2004 onwards, additional surveys were conducted during the peak harhour seal pupping period in July to better assess breeding productivity.	Complete A significant decline in the haul-out count of harbour seals at Scroby during 2004 corresponds exactly with wind farm construction. This study provided strong circumstantial evidence of the likely effect of piling noise and vessel activity affecting harbour seals at haul-out and breeding site that extended into the medium term of several years.	Skeate et al. 2012	No data publicly available.
Baseline	Birds	Bird survey Little Terns were tagged at Winterton in 2003 and at Winterton and North Denes in 2004, and tracked.	Complete Twelve birds were fitted with back-mounted tags with no apparent adverse impacts upon normal behavior and nesting success. The timing and recruitment of Little Terns appears closely tied in with the availability of Herring.	Perrow et al. 2006	No data publicly available.
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Displacement Fish	Bird Counts and Tagging/Telemetry and Prey Tow net sampling The study was conducted over a five-year period, with two years of baseline sampling prior to construction (2002 and 2003), one year during construction (2004), and two years after construction (2005 and 2006). A grid of 12 sampling stations was established across the Scroby Sands site. All prey sampling was conducted aboard an inshore workboat using a custom-built larval tow net. Little Tern bird count surveys were undertaken from May until August of 2004. Capture of adult Little Terns was conducted for attachment of radio tags.	Complete Multivariate modelling indicated a significant reduction in herring (primary diet of Little Tern chicks) abundance from 2004 onward that could not be explained by environmental factors. Reduced prey abundance corresponded with a significant decline in Little tern foraging success. In 2004, 150 nests were laid at Winterton compared to 40 at North Denes. Perhaps as a results of the lack of fish prey, increased use of Scroby Sands themselves was recorded in 2004.	Perrow et al. 2011, Perrow et al. 2005, ECON Ecological Consultancy 2008	No data publicly available.
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Physical Environment	Benthic/Coastal Process Surveys A research and monitoring program was undertaken at the Scroby Sands offshore wind farm to observe, measure, and quantify potential impacts of the wind farm on coastal processes. This was achieved by a series of seabed surveys (side-scan sonar, swathe bathymetry) and deployment of seabed landers before (April and May 2003), during (February 2004), and after construction (February and March 2005) of the offshore wind farm.	Complete Results provided evidence of changes in seabed bathymetry, bedforms, currents, waves, and suspended sediment concentrations that may lead to disturbance of sedimentary environments or sediment transport pathways.	Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) 2006	No data publicly available.
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Marine Mammals	Aerial Survey Analysis Aerial surveys were undertaken on an approximately fortnightly basis throughout the summer of 2003 using a digital camera. The 2005 monitoring took place in the form of aerial surveys conducted at approximately fortnightly intervals throughout the summer months.	Complete There was no statistically significant difference between the number of seals hauled out on Scroby in 2002 and 2003. Significantly fewer Common seals were observed in 2004 than in 2002. Statistically significant changes in the numbers of both seal species and thus species composition were observed during the monitoring program. The decline in numbers of Harbour seals hauled out and consequently breeding colony productivity coincided with the construction of the wind farm.	Skeate and Perrow 2005, Perrow and Skeate 2004, Skeate and Perrow 2008	2008, ECON, Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm, Seal Monitoring, Analysis of the 2006 post-construction aerial surveys and summary of the monitoring programme results from 2002-2006
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Marine Mammals	Aerial Survey Analysis Aerial surveys were undertaken on an approximately fortnightly basis throughout the summer of 2003 using a digital camera. The 2005 monitoring took place in the form of aerial surveys conducted at approximately fortnightly intervals throughout the summer months.	Complete There was no statistically significant difference between the number of seals hauled out on Scroby in 2002 and 2003. Significantly fewer Common seals were observed in 2004 than in 2002. Statistically significant changes in the numbers of both seal species and thus species composition were observed during the monitoring program. The decline in numbers of Harbour seals hauled out and consequently breeding colony productivity coincided with the construction of the wind farm.	Skeate and Perrow 2005, Perrow and Skeate 2004, Skeate and Perrow 2008	2008, ECON, Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm, Seal Monitoring, Analysis of the 2006 post-construction aerial surveys and summary of the monitoring programme results from 2002-2006
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Displacement Marine Mammals	Aerial surveys Aerial photographic surveys of the principal Scroby Sands sandbar were conducted approximately every two weeks between April and September before construction (2002 and 2003), during construction (2004), and after construction (2005 and 2006). From 2004 onwards, additional surveys were conducted during the peak harhour seal pupping period in July to better assess breeding productivity.	Complete A significant decline in the haul-out count of harbour seals at Scroby during 2004 corresponds exactly with wind farm construction. This study provided strong circumstantial evidence of the likely effect of piling noise and vessel activity affecting harbour seals at haul-out and breeding site that extended into the medium term of several years.	Skeate et al. 2012	No data publicly available.
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Displacement Fish	Bird Counts and Tagging/Telemetry and Prey Tow net sampling The study was conducted over a five-year period, with two years of baseline sampling prior to construction (2002 and 2003), one year during construction (2004), and two years after construction (2005 and 2006). A grid of 12 sampling stations was established across the Scroby Sands site. All prey sampling was conducted aboard an inshore workboat using a custom-built larval tow net. Little Tern bird count surveys were undertaken from May until August of 2004. Capture of adult Little Terns was conducted for attachment of radio tags.	Complete Multivariate modelling indicated a significant reduction in herring (primary diet of Little Tern chicks) abundance from 2004 onward that could not be explained by environmental factors. Reduced prey abundance corresponded with a significant decline in Little tern foraging success. In 2004, 150 nests were laid at Winterton compared to 40 at North Denes. Perhaps as a results of the lack of fish prey, increased use of Scroby Sands themselves was recorded in 2004.	Perrow et al. 2011, Perrow et al. 2005, ECON Ecological Consultancy 2008	No data publicly available.
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Physical Environment	Benthic/Coastal Process Surveys A research and monitoring program was undertaken at the Scroby Sands offshore wind farm to observe, measure, and quantify potential impacts of the wind farm on coastal processes. This was achieved by a series of seabed surveys (side-scan sonar, swathe bathymetry) and deployment of seabed landers before (April and May 2003), during (February 2004), and after construction (February and March 2005) of the offshore wind farm.	Complete Results provided evidence of changes in seabed bathymetry, bedforms, currents, waves, and suspended sediment concentrations that may lead to disturbance of sedimentary environments or sediment transport pathways.	Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) 2006	No data publicly available.
Operations	Displacement Birds	Boat-based surveys Eight boat-based surveys over a route of 46 km incorporating 10.3 km within the wind farm, utilising snapshots for flying terns every 250 m (n=185) were performed approximately every two weeks from early May to mid August 2013.	Complete The likelihood of damage to the embryonic breeding population of Sandwich terns at Scroby Sands appeared to be very low. Any loss would make a further small contribution to the cumulative collision encountered by these populations from wind farms around the UK and along their migration route.	Perrow et al. 2013	No data publicly available.
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Marine Mammals	Aerial Survey Analysis Aerial surveys were undertaken on an approximately fortnightly basis throughout the summer of 2003 using a digital camera. The 2005 monitoring took place in the form of aerial surveys conducted at approximately fortnightly intervals throughout the summer months.	Complete There was no statistically significant difference between the number of seals hauled out on Scroby in 2002 and 2003. Significantly fewer Common seals were observed in 2004 than in 2002. Statistically significant changes in the numbers of both seal species and thus species composition were observed during the monitoring program. The decline in numbers of Harbour seals hauled out and consequently breeding colony productivity coincided with the construction of the wind farm.	Skeate and Perrow 2005, Perrow and Skeate 2004, Skeate and Perrow 2008	2008, ECON, Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm, Seal Monitoring, Analysis of the 2006 post-construction aerial surveys and summary of the monitoring programme results from 2002-2006
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Displacement Marine Mammals	Aerial surveys Aerial photographic surveys of the principal Scroby Sands sandbar were conducted approximately every two weeks between April and September before construction (2002 and 2003), during construction (2004), and after construction (2005 and 2006). From 2004 onwards, additional surveys were conducted during the peak harhour seal pupping period in July to better assess breeding productivity.	Complete A significant decline in the haul-out count of harbour seals at Scroby during 2004 corresponds exactly with wind farm construction. This study provided strong circumstantial evidence of the likely effect of piling noise and vessel activity affecting harbour seals at haul-out and breeding site that extended into the medium term of several years.	Skeate et al. 2012	No data publicly available.
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Displacement Fish	Bird Counts and Tagging/Telemetry and Prey Tow net sampling The study was conducted over a five-year period, with two years of baseline sampling prior to construction (2002 and 2003), one year during construction (2004), and two years after construction (2005 and 2006). A grid of 12 sampling stations was established across the Scroby Sands site. All prey sampling was conducted aboard an inshore workboat using a custom-built larval tow net. Little Tern bird count surveys were undertaken from May until August of 2004. Capture of adult Little Terns was conducted for attachment of radio tags.	Complete Multivariate modelling indicated a significant reduction in herring (primary diet of Little Tern chicks) abundance from 2004 onward that could not be explained by environmental factors. Reduced prey abundance corresponded with a significant decline in Little tern foraging success. In 2004, 150 nests were laid at Winterton compared to 40 at North Denes. Perhaps as a results of the lack of fish prey, increased use of Scroby Sands themselves was recorded in 2004.	Perrow et al. 2011, Perrow et al. 2005, ECON Ecological Consultancy 2008	No data publicly available.
Baseline, Construction, Operations	Physical Environment	Benthic/Coastal Process Surveys A research and monitoring program was undertaken at the Scroby Sands offshore wind farm to observe, measure, and quantify potential impacts of the wind farm on coastal processes. This was achieved by a series of seabed surveys (side-scan sonar, swathe bathymetry) and deployment of seabed landers before (April and May 2003), during (February 2004), and after construction (February and March 2005) of the offshore wind farm.	Complete Results provided evidence of changes in seabed bathymetry, bedforms, currents, waves, and suspended sediment concentrations that may lead to disturbance of sedimentary environments or sediment transport pathways.	Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) 2006	No data publicly available.