Atrio of offshore wind industry firsts has been achieved within a fortnight in north-east Scotland after the world’s most powerful single turbine was successfully installed on 9 April at Vattenfall’s European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC).
The turbine is the first of 11 to be deployed at the facility in Aberdeen Bay. In addition, Vattenfall today confirmed that it is one of two turbines that have been significantly enhanced with further internal power modes to increase output from 8.4 MW to 8.8 MW and this installation represents the first time an 8.8 MW model has been deployed commercially in the offshore wind industry.
Together with the nine 8.4 MW turbines, this boosts the EOWDC’s output to 93.2 MW. The installation comes two weeks after the first of the Centre’s innovative suction bucket jacket foundations was successfully installed. The EOWDC is the first offshore wind project to deploy the foundations at commercial scale and the first to couple a foundation with the most powerful turbine.
Gunnar Groebler, Vattenfall’s head of Business Area Wind, said: “The turbines for the EOWDC, Scotland’s largest offshore wind test and demonstration facility, help secure Vattenfall’s vision to be fossil fuel free within one generation. The EOWDC, through its innovative approach to cost reduction and pioneering technologies, leads the industry drive towards generating clean and competitive wind energy power – one that will reinforce Scotland’s global energy status.”
MHI Vestas designed the V164-8.4 MW and V164-8.8 MW turbines which all have a tip height of 191 m. Each blade is 80 m long.
The turbines are being transported from Esbjerg to Aberdeen, by Swire Blue Ocean’s vessel, the Pacific Orca, where they will be lifted into position on the installed foundations. The Pacific Orca is believed to be the world’s largest wind farm installation vessel.
Jean Morrison, chairwoman of Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), said: “It’s a real coup for the region to have the world’s most powerful turbines on its doorstep and cements Aberdeen’s position as a major global energy city. It also will lead us to a greener future.”
