Reading wireless telecoms company to connect world’s largest offshore windfarm

Published by

Nicky Godding

Reading-based wireless telecommunications provider, Vilicom is to provide a critical mobile network during the construction, development and deployment of what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Ørsted’s Hornsea Two.

Currently in development 55 miles off the Yorkshire coast, Hornsea Two will comprise of 165 8.4MW turbines, across a 472km2 area, giving a combined total power output of a staggering 1.4GW. Once complete in 2022, the site will generate enough clean electricity to power over 1.3 million homes in the UK.

Hornsea Two will bring more low carbon power to the UK and support further opportunity for economic growth in the Humber region. It will also make an important contribution towards the UK goal for renewable electricity generation and to achieve the UK's energy security and carbon reduction objectives.

Deployment of Vilicom’s communication infrastructure, which will be built and tested in the UK prior to installation on Hornsea 2, will positively contribute to the successful progress of this complex project.

Sean Keating, CEO of Vilicom, said: “The 4G communications network will enhance vital communication during the construction phase and the longer lifecycle of the site. We will deploy a fully operational mobile network that spans the entire zone, allowing contractors and workers to have improved wireless access to data and information systems used during construction, as well as the ability to make regular cell calls using personal cell phone equipment.

“Once construction has concluded by the scheduled deadline of 2022, Vilicom systems will remain in place, continuing to provide essential communications for the operational and maintenance staff employed for the lifetime of the wind farm, ultimately aiding the seamless connection of hundreds of thousands of families to a sustainable source of energy,” adds Keating.

Patrick Harnett, Senior Programme Director, Hornsea Two, Ørsted said: “As we build larger offshore wind farms, our colleagues are required to travel further distances. Not only is there a requirement for reliable communication to support our construction technology, but it’s also imperative that our teams are able to remain connected to their families back home,” Harnett explains.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.