December 2023
I cannot believe it has been three years since I last posted an update. What a busy three years it has been for us at Archer Construction Services, here is an update on what we have been busy with.
We played an integral part in completing the onshore substation at Triton Knoll and successfully handed it over to the Operations and Maintenance team in early 2021. This concluded our involvement at Triton Knoll Offshore Windfarm for Innogy / RWE Renewables. It was fantastic to be involved with such a great project and a truly fantastic team of people.
We were successful in winning a contract to provide services to RWE Renewables, a German energy giant making significant strides in the UK’s renewable energy sector, for the construction of the onshore transmission assets on the Sofia offshore wind farm.
Situated in the North Sea, the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm represents a beacon of sustainable energy for the United Kingdom. With a capacity to generate clean, renewable power for 1.2 million UK homes, Sofia is a testament to RWE’s commitment to driving the transition to a low-carbon future. The project not only underscores the potential of offshore wind but also plays a pivotal role in meeting the UK’s ambitious renewable energy targets.
At the heart of the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm is the HVDC converter station. Archer Construction Services are involved in overseeing construction of this critical element of the wind farm with the cabling and connection to the National Grid substation. We are proud to be involved with a project that stands as a symbol of innovation, collaboration, and commitment to a sustainable future.
For the past two years, we have been immersed in the challenges and triumphs of the Sofia project.
From the engineering intricacies to the collaborative efforts with a diverse team of professionals, we have contributed to a ground breaking initiative that transcends borders and industries.
2023 has been a year where plans for roll out of renewable energy seems to have stuttered. Rising costs due to inflation and supply chain issues saw off shore wind projects shelved and uncertainty around future offshore wind projects due to a low Contract for Difference (CfD) level of support. The UK Government has increased the CfD Strike Price for the Round 6 Allocation in 2024 to £73 per megawatt hour up from £44 per megawatt hour, representing a 66% uplift. This will undoubtedly make the next round very competitive as all developers have a number of projects planned for the next decade to meet UK and European targets for renewable energy generation.
It was interesting to read recently that the UK’s National Grid has launched frameworks worth £59 billion for certain and anticipated HVDC projects. The frameworks, that cover civil works, cable works and converter systems will run for an initial period of 5 years with an option to extend for a further three years. Further to HVDC projects National Grid will be required to provide the infrastructure to connect new renewable energy projects to the National Transmission System and upgrade aging infrastructure over the coming decade to cope with increasing electrification of our lives.
Whilst this means the future looks very exciting and busy for Archer Construction Services where we will be looking to be delivering our expertise to some of these future projects. It does beg the question, how will these projects be delivered and has the supply chain got the required capacity? The rush for renewable energy technology is worldwide, the skills, expertise and manufacturing capability is the biggest hurdle to overcome if nations climate change targets are to be met.
If you are looking for expertise in delivering your next project and require a personalised, tailored service, please get in touch. We will be more than happy to talk through your requirements and offer you a bespoke service for your next project.
November 2020
It was unimaginable to think that when I was writing my last update in February of this year that we now find ourselves in a second period of lockdown in an effort to contain COVID-19. I sincerely hope when I do my next update we find ourselves in a better position and we can see an end to this current situation.
Here at Archer Construction Services we have been very busy throughout the year. Archer Construction Services have been acting in a consulting capacity for the 857MW Triton Knoll Offshore Windfarm to deliver the onshore substation and transmission network connection. In March and April we were involved in developing and implemeting new ways of working safely on site. I am pleased to say that as a result of the hard work and co-operation of the people on site that the project lost little time and we now find ourselves nearing the completion of the build and commissioning phase. First power from the windfarm is due to be generated and delivered onto the transmission network in early 2021 which will be a massive achievment, in what have been challanging conditions, by a great team of people, from a whole host of organisations.
The latest announcement by the UK Government for a 10 point plan to reach net zero in carbon emmissions by 2030 can only be good news. Archer Construction Services has a wealth of knowledge and experience in delivering renewable energy projects and we are looking forward to playing a part in achieving net zero by 2030. We are looking to get involved in exciting new projects next year. Watch this space for more details!!
We have not managed to develop the self build and domestic side of the business over the past few months as much as we would of liked. This is in part has been due to COVID-19 delaying some projects as well as the extra involvement we have had to give into our renewable energy side of the business. However, with more and more companies seeing the benefit of allowing their staff to work from home on a more regular basis people are starting to look at how a workspace can be incorporated into their homes. This can be as grand as constructing a garden room for a home office or simply converting an existing room. Archer Construction Services can help with any sized project whether it construction to achieve your vision. From a complete Turnkey solution to a tailor made service to suit your needs please get in touch.
February 2020
As we welcome in a New Year it is good to reflect on our achievements and look forward to what looks like to be an exciting year. On reflection it is amazing to think that Archer Construction Services has helped to deliver 2600MW of energy that is generated from windpower since 2006. That is 12% of the total windpower available in the UK. Coupled with this we have been involved with delivering 2400MW of HVDC Interconnectors. Whilst our main focus in 2020 and beyond will still be providing construction services to Renewable Energy projects, it is interesting that we are on the cusp of massive investment in the UK’s infrastructure. Archer Construction Services will be looking to get involved with the projects that will materialise from this investment. We believe this investment is long overdue and the country as a whole will benefit from better transportion and communications. We would like to see more investment to combat climate change, the recent weather events has demonstrated that we are not prepared for major weather events that seem to be happening on a more frequent basis.
On a smaller and more local scale we beleive that families that want to build their own home should be given better access to land to help them achieve their dreams. For would be self builders getting a plot is the biggest barrier. We think that self builders can help unlock the need to build the homes we need for the future. Self builders tend to design and build houses that are efficeint, utilise the latest renewable technology and are architecturally interesting and unique. This would help develop diverse, interesting settlements that would get away from the monotonous developer houses we see being built all over the country. For this reason we have more recently started to offer our services to self builders who are aften daunted by the build process. We offer a service tailored to the self builders requirements from periodic advice at key stages through to a complete build service,
Whatever your build requirements, whether it be an extension to your home or a complex infrastructure project we would be happy to discuss your requirements further to see if we can be of assistance.