Siemens Gamesa and Van Oord Partner Up on Windpark Fryslân

Windpark Fryslân B.V. has selected the consortium of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Van Oord as the preferred contractor for the construction of the Fryslân nearshore wind farm in the Netherlands.

The 382.7MW wind farm will comprise 89 wind turbines with a capacity of 4.3MW each installed in the Frisian section of the IJsselmeer Lake, next to the Afsluitdijk dam.

Van Oord is responsible for the Balance of Plant work, including the design, fabrication, and installation of the foundations and cables for the wind project. Van Oord will also supply the equipment for installing the turbines.

Siemens Gamesa will design, fabricate, and commission the SWT-DD-130 wind turbines, each with a 130-meter rotor diameter, and the onshore substation. Hub height of the turbines will be 109 metres, with a blade tip height of 174 metres.

Following successful completion, Siemens Gamesa will service the wind farm for at least 16 years.

The final contracts for the construction are expected to be signed later this year. The entire project involves an investment amount of over EUR 500 million with construction works scheduled to start in 2019.

A unique feature of the cooperation between the two companies is the integrated design and execution team. The consortium will cooperate with local partners and support local initiatives in order to stimulate the Frisian economy, Siemens Gamesa said.

“We’re proud to once again bring our Siemens Gamesa direct drive wind turbine technology to the IJsselmeer Lake with the Fryslân project. Partnering with Van Oord allows us as solid, experienced partners to bring a shared commitment to reducing the Levelized Cost of Energy from offshore wind and providing clean energy to our customer Windpark Fryslân B.V.,” said Andreas Nauen, CEO of the Offshore Business Unit at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy.

Nature conservation island

The nomination as the preferred main contractor also includes construction of a nature conservation island next to the Afsluitdijk dam. By using soil material from the IJsselmeer Lake, two hectares of new land and 25 hectares of sheltered shallow water will be created. The island will be used during the construction phase and will be transformed next to a nature conservation area. New natural areas will develop on the banks of the island, both above and below water. The area is designed to attract fish and birds for foraging and resting.

“Building the Fryslan nearshore wind farm is an important step forward in meeting the climate objectives, both national as for the Province of Friesland. Contributing to the energy transition is contributing to a better world for future generations. It is great to be part of this,” said Arnoud Kuis, Managing Director Offshore Wind at Van Oord.

Fryslân nearshore wind farm is planned to be in full operation by mid-2021. The wind farm is being developed by Ventolines BV on behalf of Windpark Fryslân.