With onshore construction works currently underway for East Anglia TWO, Anthony explains why the role was too good to turn down and what it involves on a day-to-day basis.
What drew you to this specific role?
East Anglia TWO and East Anglia ONE North are big projects that will make a real difference for people. They will provide a substantial amount of clean energy, and to be a part of the team delivering that is something I am really proud of.
There are so many more positives too; there is a real legacy with lots of people in east and south Suffolk working on the projects.
What does it mean to you on a personal level?
I live in Ipswich with my young family, and I grew up in the area too. It means a lot to be able to make a difference by working on such significant projects that are on the doorstep.
I’ve always visited the coast and know it well. It’s given me a good understanding of how the projects interact with the landscape.
How did you get into renewables?
I started out at Suffolk College studying civil engineering, before moving into coastal engineering and house building, then transitioning into energy. I’ve always had an interest in the field.
The UK has lots of energy and infrastructure challenges, and it’s great to be part of the solution. Projects like ours offer genuine opportunities for people growing up here to look at energy as a long-term career option.
What do you enjoy about your current role?
No two days are the same. From keeping an eye on fledging wood pigeons to ensure they aren’t disturbed, to analysing work being completed on site, it’s a varied role.
These are demanding and fast-paced, but rewarding, projects to be involved with. The wind farms will generate clean and home-grown power for 40 years, so the work we do now has long-term benefits for the energy security of the UK.
There are multiple contractors involved in delivering the projects, including local companies, and it is good to be involved with such nationally-significant infrastructure projects close to home.
How are the projects progressing?
With enabling works now well underway for construction of the East Anglia TWO cable route from landfall at Thorpeness to Friston, and duct installation to facilitate future construction for East Anglia ONE North, lots of the physical parts of the work on site have now commenced.
Work to bring the clean energy to Suffolk and beyond is really starting to take shape.
What does the onshore work involve?
We initially start by putting in temporary accesses and fencing to create safe spaces to enable work to take place.
The majority of the work on the cable route is relatively short-term. We have ecologists with eyes on the ground every day to ensure we are delivering what we said we would – overseeing that compliance is a big part of what I do.
How do you minimise the impact of the work?
With an offshore wind farm, a lot of the onshore impact is temporary. Once the cable is buried, the land will be reinstated, but we do recognise that there are longer-term changes with specific elements of the scheme which we work hard to minimise as far as possible.
The onshore elements principally consist of a buried cable and a substation, where the electricity generated connects to the national grid network.
The route of the buried cable is largely returned to its original use, as we’ve seen in previous projects. The substation site is heavily landscaped to mitigate against its impact and to integrate it as much as possible into the local environment.
The design of the substation site also takes account of the community feedback we’ve had during consultation as much as possible, while meeting the requirements of the development consent order.
What does a ‘normal’ workday look like for you?
For now, my job involves being at my desk approximately half the time, and out and about on site the rest, as work now starts installing the cable. Different days bring different people, whether that’s contractors, colleagues or councils.
Ultimately, my job is constant vigilance to ensure we’re following the agreed plan to the letter and delivering the best possible projects for East Anglia.
For more information, visit scottishpowerrenewables.com/east-anglia
This article is part of LOCALiQ’s Clean & Green campaign, which aims to promote our region as the biggest in the UK and Europe for all forms of renewable energy.