Ocean Winds has selected the UK-based engineering consultancy, Wood Thilsted, as the wind turbine foundation and offshore substation foundation concept designer for the BC-Wind offshore wind farm in the Polish Baltic Sea.
BC-Wind offshore wind farm is being developed by Ocean Winds, the international company dedicated to offshore wind energy and created by ENGIE and EDPR.
The project has the capacity to generate up to 399 MW of energy from up to 31 turbines, 23 kilometres from Poland’s shoreline.
BC-Wind’s construction off the Polish coastline follows a renewed policy focus from the Polish government over the last few years to grow offshore wind capacity in the Baltic Sea, the consultancy said.
Wood Thilsted is working closely with Ocean Winds on both wind turbine foundation and offshore substation foundation concept design.
Since the appointment at the end of June 2022, the focus is on assessing the best type of foundation for the site considering the challenges of the Baltic Sea, including low temperatures and ice loading.
Kacper Kostrzewa , BC-Wind Project Director said: ”BC Wind represents a step-change in the development of offshore wind in Poland and working with Wood Thilsted means we not only have the very best expertise to deliver this flagship project but can also work to develop talent in Poland who can work on future projects as they come online.”
Wood Thilsted’s previous experience and innovations in ice loading design in similar European markets is key to this work, according to the consultancy.
As part of this work, Wood Thilsted has now opened a dedicated branch in Warsaw, appointed its first local team members and is recruiting in Poland to support the development of local skills and expertise.
”We are very pleased to be able to support the development of the Polish offshore wind market right from its very first project. The Baltic Sea presents a number of design challenges that Wood Thilsted is particularly well positioned to tackle, and we look forward to working with Ocean Winds to deliver the best solutions for the project,” Wood Thilsted CEO and Co-Founder, Alastair Muir Wood , said.
BC-Wind is to be built about 23 kilometres north of the municipalities of Choczewo and Krokowa in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The wind farm is scheduled to start commercial operations in 2027.
In 2021, the project secured a contract for connection to the national electricity system, and obtained the right to a Contract for Difference.