Vilicom and Vodafone have successfully deployed a 4G mobile network at the world's largest offshore wind farm in operation, located off the Yorkshire coast.
Hornsea 2, which has recently been completed by Ørsted, spans a 472 sq km area in the North Sea and comprises 165 8.4MW turbines expected to generate a combined total power output of 1.4GW. It will be capable of powering more than 1.4 million UK homes with clean electricity.
Vilicom and Vodafone teams worked closely for two years to build the communication infrastructure in tandem with the construction of the wind farm, which now supports a live Vodafone 4G mobile service.
The network provides Vodafone 4G mobile connectivity for the hundreds of operational and maintenance staff employed on the site, both across the sail route and spanning the entire wind farm.
Sean Keating, chief executive at Vilicom, said: "At Vilicom we're delighted to play our part in a cleaner, greener future. The completion of this network is a huge achievement for Vilicom, Vodafone and Ørsted teams.
"Not only have we overcome the unique set of challenges involved in deploying a mobile network in the middle of the North Sea, but we have also accomplished this feat of engineering during a pandemic, with difficult operational circumstances."
Patrick Harnett, vice president UK programme, Ørsted, said: 2It is so important to have a 4G network that allows us to improve the efficiency of construction and operations of the world's largest offshore wind farm. It's also very important for our colleagues working out at sea to be able to connect back home to their friends and families.
"The wind farm which has become fully operational in August this year, will have the capacity to provide the UK with clean, green energy for 1.4 million homes."
Nick Gliddon, business director, Vodafone UK, added: "Building a complete mobile infrastructure on an offshore wind farm is a technical challenge, but I'm delighted we're able to provide the connectivity that Ørsted's Hornsea 2 needs to connect to the outside world and be efficiently managed. It is testament to the great collaboration between us and Vilicom.
Vodafone has committed to reach net zero in our UK operations by 2027, so it's brilliant to be involved in a project bringing new renewable power to the UK."
Source: https://www.insidermedia.com/news/yorkshire/4g-network-deployed-at-worlds-largest-offshore-wind-farm