Partners announce the first floating WTG installation for wind farm

The announcement of the first floating WTG installation for Arcadis Ost 1 followed by the signing of a conditional agreement for turbine supply between Parkwind and MHI Vestas marked the first day of the Wind Europe conference in Copenhagen.  

Parkwind’s German Arcadis Ost 1 project will be the first offshore wind farm that will make use of a floating vessel for the installation of Wind Turbine Generators. This achievement is the result of a year-long joint development between Parkwind, Heerema Marine Contractors and MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.

After being a successful bidder in the German offshore wind auction in 2018, Parkwind is developing the 257 MW Arcadis Ost 1 offshore windfarm. The project, located 20 km northeast of the island of Rugen in the Baltic Sea, will consist of 27 MHI Vestas V174-9.5MW turbines mounted on monopile foundations and one offshore substation. The Arcadis Ost 1 windfarm will supply green power to an estimated 300,000 German households.

Considering the challenging soil conditions at the Arcadis Ost 1 site, Parkwind looked at possible alternatives to traditional installation methodologies. In joint cooperation with Heerema Marine Contractors and MHI Vestas, the floating installation method was developed.

This innovative installation methodology provides two unique advantages: it avoids all interaction with the soil thereby reducing the project’s risk compared to a traditional jack up installation and this method allows for a reduced installation time. The floating installation method contributes to the further reduction of the levelized cost of offshore wind energy and will unlock the potential of many offshore areas around the world.

The developed method is based on utilizing a floating installation vessel to assemble the WTG components. The vessel will have all turbine components on its deck including a dummy tower. This tower will provide a stable platform on board the vessel to assemble the nacelle and the blades. The first step will be lifting the WTG tower onto the pre-installed turbine foundation. The second step is the most advanced element in the assembly process which includes lifting the nacelle onto the dummy tower and attaching the blades.

This process ensures full control over the blades thereby guaranteeing a safe and highly reliable blade assembly. After the Rotor Nacelle Assembly [RNA] on the installation vessel, the complete RNA will be lifted as one piece onto the WTG tower.

Parkwind’s co-CEO Eric Antoons commented:

“Taking the turbine installation based on a floating vessel from theory to practice is a major step forward for the offshore wind industry, supported by Heerema Marine Contractors and MHI Vestas, we saw this as the best solution for our German Arcadis Ost 1 project where soil conditions are challenging.” 

Koos-Jan van Brouwershaven, CEO of Heerema Marine Contractors, added:

“More than one year ago, Heerema Marine Contractors, together with our partners MHI Vestas and Parkwind, started an intensive research to find out the possibilities of installing turbines utilizing our fleet of floating assets. In our Simulation Center, we created an authentic visualization of the local situation, including crane and vessel controls, realistic weather conditions, sea swell patterns and seabed conditions. This collaboration led to an innovative method which will be used for the installation of turbines in the Arcadis Ost 1 wind park. Heerema Marine Contractors is very proud to participate in this unique project. It shows our ambition to remain a frontrunner in the offshore energy market, and our commitment to operate in wind projects all over the world.”
 
Furthermore, Arcadis Ost 1 will be the first offshore wind farm to install the newly developed MHI Vestas V174 turbines.

Henrik Jensen, MHI Vestas Chief Sales Officer, said: 

“We are exceptionally pleased to be chosen by Parkwind once again for such a milestone project. Today’s announcement is a testament to the strong partnership and trust between Parkwind and MHI Vestas as we embark on our fifth project together. We look forward to bringing our technology and experience to bear at Arcadis Ost 1 and contributing to the German renewable energy transition.”