Wood Group Engineering (North Sea) Ltd, a subsidiary of international energy services company John Wood Group PLC (Wood Group), has been awarded the design and project management of two offshore substations by AREVA T&D on the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm.

The 88-turbine 315 MW (220,000 home potential supply) wind farm is sited just inside the 12-mile territorial limit of Sheringham on the UK's North Norfolk coast. Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm will be developed by Scira Offshore Energy Ltd which is jointly owned by the Norwegian companies StatoilHydro and Statkraft.

Power from the 88 wind turbines will be captured by the two offshore substations before being sent to shore. Capturing energy via unmanned offshore substations at source, prior to sending it to shore, is more energy efficient than using onshore substations.

"Wood Group's move into the renewable energy sector is a natural progression from the services it provides to the oil & gas and power sector," said Les Thomas, Group Director for Production Facilities. "With 30 year's experience working with oil & gas operators in the Eastern Hemisphere, WGENS is well placed to apply its technical expertise to offshore wind farm developments."

Tags: Wood Group