RWE’s offshore wind farm Sofia and neighbouring Dogger Bank C1 offshore wind farm have committed to increasing and extending their support for the charity North Sea Conservation, with a new £50,000 donation paid jointly by the two wind farms.
North Sea Conservation is the parent organisation of the Whitby Lobster Hatchery on the east coast, a project that is currently in the process of releasing 100,000 juvenile lobsters into the North Sea. The project is committed to ensuring the seas are sustainable and rich in diversity for years to come, providing invaluable stocks of crustaceans for the local fishing industry, thereby safeguarding the region’s primary economy while improving marine biodiversity.
This latest sponsorship will provide new premises for North Sea Conservation, which will enable the development of future projects, including an improvement in research potential.
To celebrate the latest round of sponsorship RWE has released an informative film, produced earlier in the year, which showcases the work of the centre in supporting a sustainable future for the Yorkshire coast and the local Whitby area. Support from the wind farm projects goes directly towards the work of both the Whitby Lobster Hatchery and the Marine Discovery Centre, helping the project to deliver on its key aims of conservation, education and research.
Whitby Lobster Hatchery General Manager, Joe Redfern said: “We have always had high ambitions from the impact our project can have on the marine environment. The support we have received from both offshore projects has been a huge help in starting to realise those ambitions. We are really grateful for their support and are glad to be working with them into the future.”
As well as helping with the hatchery equipment, the support from the two offshore wind farms will assist the charity’s ambitions to release 100,000 lobsters each year. By rearing lobster larvae in the hatchery, the charity will significantly boost the lobsters’ chance of survival. The conservation charity is committed to the protection and conservation of lobster populations in the region and to helping ensure the future of UK fishing fleets.
Matthew Swanwick, RWE Sofia Project Director said: “Each year, wind farm projects operated by RWE invest more than £5million into community funds. We provide funding which enhances community services, boosts tourism, creates training grants for young people with the support offered both holistic and inclusive.
“One of the key priorities of our Sofia project development fund is to support sustainability and promote responsible stewardship of the environment. We see enormous value in the work of the Whitby Lobster Hatchery and are proud to be one of their sponsors.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farm Fisheries Liaison Manager, Elizabeth Reynolds, said: “It’s been our great privilege to see this education and conservation project grow since we started working with them a number of years ago.
“The organisation is already achieving impressive results for both its work releasing juvenile lobsters, and its local engagement and education outreach. Throughout this further investment we aim to help the organisation to secure its long-term growth, sustainability and build on the legacy we’ve created through investment in our key communities.”
RWE recently announced that it is working with the Whitby Lobster Hatchery to release 5,000 juvenile lobsters at the site of its Triton Knoll offshore wind farm to help increase biodiversity in the North Sea.
The Sofia Wind Farm, currently under construction on Dogger Bank, 195 kilometres from the nearest point on the UK’s north east coast, will comprise 100 Siemens Gamesa 14 megawatt (MW) offshore wind turbines. Upon its commissioning in 2026, the Sofia project will have a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts , enough to power the equivalent of 1.2 million typical UK homes.
Editors’ Note:
1 – Dogger Bank C Offshore Wind Farm is a joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Vårgrønn.
