Following the 497-megawatt (MW) order for the EnBW Hohe See offshore wind power-plant, EnBW has also awarded Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy with the installation of the neighboring 112-MW-project EnBW Albatros.
The scope of supply includes 16 direct-drive SWT-7.0-154 wind turbines on monopile foundations and the grid connection via a Siemens Offshore Transformer Module (OTM). Siemens Gamesa will install both wind power plants in parallel. Installation will start in spring 2018. The projects are located 90 kilometers north of Borkum Island in the German North Sea with water depths of up to 40 meters.
The combination of both projects offers synergies to EnBW in respect to planning, construction, and during operation. Due to Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy’s complete solution for Albatros -ranging from turbines to substation technology -the project benefits from full optimization opportunities: Through the project-specific approach, all technology components work perfectly aligned so that the risk for all involved parties is mitigated. At the same time, a bundling of installation works and a centralized project planning create valuable synergies. After commissioning in 2019, Siemens Gamesa will initially provide service and maintenance for the turbines over a period of five years.
EnBW Albatros is the first German offshore wind power plant that Siemens will supply as a full-scope project. Furthermore, it includes the entry of the compact Siemens OTM in the German market. Thanks to focusing on key electrical components and cutting auxiliary systems, it allows a reduction in weight and size of more than 30 percent compared to a conventional AC substation. Further cost out is achieved by using the same foundation type for the OTM as for the turbines.
The ultra-compact design of the platform not only reduces installation costs due to its low weight, but also reduces service and maintenance efforts. EnBW Albatros will be connected to the power grid via the Borwin Beta HVDC converter-platform which is located approximately 25 kilometers away and had been delivered by Siemens as well.
In the same way as for EnBW Hohe See, Siemens is also partnering with the Belgian offshore construction specialist GeoSea for Albatros regarding construction and installation of the monopiles. Again, the extended scope and the inter-coordinated complete solution including installation works, construction elements, and wind turbine technology add to the synergies of the combined projects to enable a highly efficient realization of the projects. Inter-array cabling and coordination of the construction work remain in the scope of EnBW.
“EnBW Albatros allows us to demonstrate our broad competence in offshore projects, ranging from project specific engineering services and the beneficial combination of power generation and transmission technology to service and maintenance concepts”, states Michael Hannibal, CEO Offshore of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. “This project has a high relevance for us since we will turn the 112-megawatt wind power plant into a highly profitable investment for our customer via cutting edge technology and smart details.”
Siemens Gamesa will showcase their broad solutions for offshore wind projects at the Offshore Wind Energy 2017 Conference in London (6 to 8 June, 2017) at their booth N-J 20.
