Sheringham Shoal Spring/Summer 2013 by Scira Offshore Energy NEWSLETTER Celebrating the move to Operations

Local artist John Hurst [left] with Einar Strømsvåg and Master

Norman Lamb MP [left] with Scira’s Einar Strømsvåg

A formal day of celebration on Friday 19 April 2013 marked Scira Offshore Energy’s move from the ‘Prepare for Operations’ stage of the Shoal Offshore Wind Farm to its long term ‘Operation and Maintenance’ stage. Norman Lamb, the MP for North and Minister of State at the Department of Health, formally opened Wind Farm Place, the purpose built Operation and Maintenance base three miles south of Wells-next-the-Sea in , into which Scira moved in February 2013 Music students from Alderman Peel High School The formal proceedings were followed by Farm Shops, and a by a celebration lunch for guests and small gift for all guests and employees the development of the employees in the new building, during was sourced from the Chocolate Deli in Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm, which catering students from Alderman Walsingham. and the infrastructure which will now Peel High School in Wells-next-the-Sea Constructed by local firm Mansell support its operation and maintenance, served canapés, and its music students Construction of , Wind Farm could join us for this celebration. Now the performed for the guests. Place is a low energy consumption wind farm is fully operational, the local Scira’s procurement policy is, wherever building featuring low energy lighting, team is delighted to have moved into possible, to support the local supply highly insulated walls and a ‘green’ roof its new purpose built home. It will be an chain in North Norfolk, so it was highly to reduce rainwater run-off. With office excellent base for our activities for many appropriate that the buffet was prepared accommodation and warehousing, years to come.” Wind Farm Place now houses Scira’s During the course of the celebration, management and administration staff and Einar Strømsvåg presented Wells serves as the base for the wind turbine Harbour Master Robert Smith with a technicians working on the maintenance painting of the new Wells Outer Harbour, of the offshore wind farm on a daily basis. constructed to give Scira, and future Einar Strømsvåg, Scira’s General developers, offshore access. It was Manager said: “It was good that so many painted by local artist John Hurst, who Catering students from Alderman Peel High School people who have played an active part in took part in the celebrations.

Contents: Page 2 • Education Update Page 4 • Community Fund supports 4 new projects • European Energy for Life project visits The Mo • Community fund grant funds solar hot water heating for swimming pool • Diary dates 2013 Page 3 • Meet the new members of the Scira team • Questions from the community Education Update Meet the new members Over the last 18 months, Scira Offshore Energy has embarked on a number of education initiatives to support the development of the skills in the local labour market which are relevant to the operation of the Scira Team and maintenance of offshore wind farms. The North Norfolk economy has typically been characterised by employment in tourism, Now that the construction phase is over, and the business moves into routine operations, the Scira team is agriculture and , so it is important that the next generation continuing to grow and develop with new appointments for permanent team members at Scira’s new home, workforce is aware of the career opportunities which are being created Wind Farm Place. As an operator, it has two primary focus areas – the daily operation and maintenance of by Scira and other offshore wind farm developers and operators, the plant, and the technical integrity of the plant infrastructure. Heading up these two areas are the new particularly to enable students to make informed curriculum choices College A Level students surveying beach managers who will help drive the efficiency of Sheringham Shoal. should they wish to qualify for a position in this industry. profiles at Weybourne production so that it technicians and spare parts to site The Scira Schools Engagement Head of Geography and Humanities at University of East Anglia (UEA) visited the can balance its system is crucial to the effective running of programme starts with primary school Fakenham College, on a Year 8 learning Scira????? offices on 9th April to gain further and meet national the plant. consumer demand engagement, with members of the Scira module relating to environmental aspects understanding about the construction and Arild and Don’s teams work closely with the appropriate team giving introductory talks to local of the North Norfolk landscape, called the operation of an offshore wind farm. together to ensure the safe and supply, so accuracy of primary schools, usually at one of their North Norfolk Landscape Project. Through the Sheringham Shoal efficient operation of this power information is critical. general assemblies. A close relationship Strong links have been developed with Community Fund, Scira has also plant, and of course they rely on To this end the state with Alderman Peel High School in Lowestoft College and introduced a Bursary Scheme to help their teams to manage this complex of the art IT systems Wells-next-the-Sea has developed, with the College which will see site visits by their young people from lower income families operation. The role of an engineer in at Sheringham Shoal company participating in learning activities students. The first of these visits took in North Norfolk who would like to study either department requires a good monitor and control three which now include the Year 7 STEM place on 18 April 2013 when eleven engineering at one of the three Norfolk educational background and an ability weather forecasting Challenge and sponsorship of the annual students from Lowestoft College toured colleges which offer such courses – the to handle information from many systems, two SCADA STEM Award. After sponsoring the A-Level Wind Farm Place and went aboard a College of West Anglia in Kings Lynn, sources to maintain the overview and (supervisory control and Geography students at Fakenham College personnel transfer vessel in the outer Great Yarmouth College and City College, to diagnose and implement preventive Operations & Maintenance Manager Arild Soleim with data acquisition) systems with the purchase of survey equipment harbour to learn a little about what is . Each year funding is available for and corrective actions. Experienced Production & Technology Manager Don Bertram for monitoring the wind for the study of coastal processes and involved in the management of a £1 20 students to receive a bursary of £500 engineers in this region are hard to find, farm and flagging faults, landforms off the North Norfolk coast, Scira billion offshore wind farm. Similarly 30 per annum to study the BTEC Diploma in so consequently Scira has decided to SSWOF NNDC Outlook Ad AW 1.13.pdf 1 25/01/2013 10:44 Don Bertram has recently been and a wind farm management system is now working closely with Colin Bye, Environmental Science students from the Engineering Level 3 through to graduation. “grow our own” by recruiting talented which provides detailed information appointed as Production & Technology graduates and putting them through a on performance. Manager at Scira. Don heads up a team structured two year training programme of highly qualified engineers specialising Responsible for the daily Operations and where they learn on the job. After a in taking care of the technical integrity Maintenance activities of the wind farm lengthy recruitment campaign, two new European Energy of the plant, including the electrical, is Arild Soleim. Arild is on secondment faces joined the Scira team at the end mechanical, instrumentation and for a two year contract from one of the of March. Harriet Green and Andrew structural elements of the infrastructure. parent companies, Statkraft, where he Saunders both have Bachelor degrees for Life project Don is clear that this is both challenging has had more than ten years’ experience in engineering, and Master degrees and exciting, “The wind farm is a highly of running onshore wind farms. Arild has in renewable energy. Harriet joins complex piece of engineering, further welcomed the opportunity to bring his Arild’s team supporting maintenance visits The Mo complicated by it’s offshore location. onshore experience to this new industry. planning, and Andrew joins Don’s team C Every piece of this plant needs to be “We cannot forget that the offshore wind supporting warranty and life cycle monitored so that we can maintain the industry is still very new, and we are information of the turbines. M On March 16th 2013 the Sheringham Shoal Wind Farm highest level of availability and therefore continuously learning how to operate and Y Visitor Centre at The Mo on the seafront in Sheringham maximise production. The complexity of maintain a wind farm out at sea with all the CM welcomed a large party of students and teachers from the plant means that we have several logistical challenges that brings. Our focus MY specialist sub-contractors taking care of now is to be a front runner in this fledgling Wind Farm Visitor Centre Free entry to exhibition schools in Finland, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland and (Normal entry fees apply specific areas from the sub-sea cables, industry by developing and executing the CY Turkey, together with their hosts from Reepham High At The Mo... if combining a visit to the to inspections and certifications of the very best maintenance plan.” CMY Sheringham Museum). An educational, interactive & fun exhibition; School and College, who are all part of an international crane equipment necessary for lifting Open: K accessible to everyone, group visits welcome. Arild’s role includes maintenance planning February Half term school partnership project called ‘Energy for Life’. tools and spare parts for the technicians • Learn about climate change & renewable energy st rd and field logistics responsibilities. March 1 to Nov 3 2013 to carry out their routine work. We • Understand the historic importance of wind energy Tues to Sat: 10am – 4.30pm Whilst the visit to each country will have a different energy theme, Maintenance planning involves both to North Norfolk Sundays: Noon – 4pm also monitor the life cycle information this visit to the UK was centred around wind energy. Having taken routine servicing of the turbines, and also • See the development and construction of the wind Mondays throughout June to of the plant to support planning of the reactively fixing faults that may occur. farm unfold before you September & school holidays. part in discussions, debates and workshops associated with wind maintenance programme, and we are Working closely with the Siemens wind • Learn about the daily operation and maintenance 01263 824482 energy for the first two days of the visit, the students travelled by activities at the wind farm responsible for production notifications The Mo, Lifeboat Plain, boat to on the morning of 16th March 2013, before turbine technicians, a significant challenge Now the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm is to the National Grid.” Sheringham, NR26 8BG visiting The Mo. They were greeted by Scira’s HR and Communication is the access to the field which can be complete, it is expected to generate enough clean energy www.scira.co.uk to power almost 220,000 British homes each year. Manager Liz Hancock, who led a presentation about the development As electricity on this scale cannot be restricted during inclement weather. of wind energy in the southern , and the construction, stored, the National Grid requires Consequently partnerships with specialist New graduate engineers Andrew Saunders and Harriet Green operation and maintenance of the 88 turbine Sheringham Shoal half-hourly notifications of projected companies offering marine transport for Offshore Wind Farm. Community Fund supports 4 new projects

The Sheringham Shoal Community Fund receives £100,000 per annum from Questions Scira Offshore Energy to fund grants to North Norfolk community groups, including schools and NGOs, seeking financial assistance for projects or from the initiatives that meet key criteria and focus on renewable energy, marine environment and safety, sustainability or education. community Since June 2010 grants have been made to aspect of school life. The support given 20 such projects, including funds awarded is very much appreciated and the school How do members of the for 4 new community projects made at will ensure it keeps everyone informed community find out how the last panel meeting held in November as the project progresses.” 2012. Amongst these projects was a grant much electricity is being More information about the Sheringham to complex needs school Sheringham generated by the wind farm? Shoal Community Fund, and the Woodfields to help pay for the installation outline proposal form, can be found The Scira website is currently under of PIR lighting and electric hand driers. at www.norfolkfoundation.com. The review and will soon be rebuilt to Matthew Smith from Sheringham grant panel will review outline proposals reflect routine operations, and longer Woodfields School wrote to say: “Could I at any time, and selected applicants will term we will provide production please ask you to pass on our thanks for be invited to submit a full proposal for information through the website. the grant that we have just been awarded. consideration. Full proposals are normally In the meantime those interested The grant will make a real difference and considered at meetings held in May and can email us at [email protected] allow our pupils to be involved in every November each year. in order to obtain information on our production output. Community Fund Are Norfolk’s fishermen grant funds solar now able to fish in the hot water heating wind farm site? During the construction phase of Headmaster Alastair Ogle with Scira’s Liz Hancock for swimming pool and Einar Strømsvåg the wind farm there was a restriction on fishing over the cable route, In May 2012 Alderman Peel High School The work on the new solar energy heating before the cable (which transfers in Wells was awarded the funding to install system was completed in October 2012, the electricity produced offshore solar hot water heating for the school/ and Eddie Kossowicz, Site Manager at APHS, to the onshore substation near community swimming pool. The pool, projects an annual saving of £10,000 on Cawston) was buried beneath which is now 50 years old as it dates back costs for heating the pool. Alastair Ogle, the sea bed. Similarly there were to the original build of the school in 1963, Headmaster at APHS, is delighted with advisory restricted zones of up to is not only used for school activities but the improvements, “This is a brilliant 500 metres around some of the is also serves as the local community example of how the Sheringham Shoal heavy construction vessels for safety swimming facility. The local community Community Fund is benefiting the students, reasons during the installation of the can access the pool for a range of as not only do we have an improved facility offshore structures. Now the wind scheduled sessions throughout the week but also the savings can be ploughed back farm is fully operational, fishermen and during weekends, including adult and into learning activities. And the school can freely access the site maintaining baby sessions on Saturday mornings, children are not the only beneficiaries, an advisory safety exclusion zone ladies only sessions on Sunday evenings, because now we can keep prices low for of 50 metres around the base of fitness classes and dawn dippers for the those members of the community who each turbine. As there is a 700 metre early risers in Wells. regularly enjoy these facilities”. spacing between each turbine, and the whole site is 35 square Diary dates 2013 kilometres, there is plenty of space 4th July – Skills for Energy Conference, John Innes Centre, Norwich for both fishing and the production of wind energy at Sheringham Shoal 7th – 8th September – Greenbuild Exhibition, Park, North Norfolk Offshore Wind Farm.

Contact details and more information If you would like a Scira Offshore Energy Limited T: 01328 824370 Wind Farm Place, Edgar Road, E: [email protected] question answered in the Walsingham, Norfolk NR22 6EJ W: www.scira.co.uk next newsletter, please The Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm is owned equally by Statoil and Statkraft through the joint venture company, Scira Offshore Energy Limited, the wind farm operator. email [email protected]