The first turbine components for a landmark offshore wind farm have arrived at their North East construction site.
Once up and running, the Triton Knoll wind farm will boast 90 turbines 20 miles off the coast of Lincolnshire, becoming one of the three largest offshore wind farms in the world, and capable of powering 800,000 海角视频 homes.
The project, owned in a joint venture between RWE and partners J-Power and Kansai Electric Power, sees Hartlepool’s Able Seaton Port play a vital role in construction of the huge MHI Vestas V164-9.5 MW turbines.
The port is receiving offshore wind turbine components for the first time in its history, thanks to a multimillion-pound investment to transform the port into a specialist assembly and construction facility for use on the project by turbine supplier MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.
Each turbine stretches 164 metres tip to tip, and is capable of powering a home for up to 29 hours with a single rotation of its 80 metre long blades.
The first 15 turbine blades have now arrived at the port, having been manufactured by MHI Vestas at its Isle of Wight facility and finished at its plant in Fawley, Hampshire.
Able 海角视频 started its transformation of the site in preparation for 857MW Triton Knoll in November 2019, setting up the 140,000 sq metre handling facility with specialist quayside, complete with roads and utilities infrastructure, accommodation and office units for those working on site.
The move marked a step into a new sector for the company, which has previously been known for end-of-life handling of oil and gas platforms, as it gears up for growth within the renewable energy industry.
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MHI Vestas recently moved onto the 1.5m sqft Able Seaton Port site, where it is setting up a full turbine logistics and pre-assembly hub for the RWE-managed project.
The firm has also enlisted a host of local suppliers for the scheme, which now have their technicians at the port, including Global Wind Service (GWS), Dawson and Boston Energy.
Able’s executive chairman Peter Stephenson said: “There is no doubt in my mind that offshore wind is fast becoming a key element not only in terms of clean power generation, but also as a major factor that will drive the whole economy forward.
“The 海角视频 has the biggest market and our combined task is to seek to maximise local content and activity. We play our part by developing specialist future-proofed facilities that meet the demanding needs of our customer.”
MHI Vestas project director Torben Damsgaard said: “MHI Vestas is committed to the 海角视频, as not only are these world-leading blades produced in the 海角视频, but the Triton Knoll project as a whole is bringing substantial value to local communities.
“The successful preparation of the Able Seaton site has been one key value driver, as the joint effort by Able海角视频 and MHI Vestas to prepare the site will pay dividends to the Teesside region as an offshore wind hub for the present and future.”
Julian Garnsey, project director for Triton Knoll and RWE Renewables, added: “Triton Knoll has made a significant investment into Able Seaton Port to establish wind turbine handling facilities there for the first time. It’s an investment that secures the North East of England at the very heart of the delivery of Triton Knoll, and which leaves a lasting legacy for future offshore wind farm projects to be constructed from the region.”