RWE’s Sofia offshore wind farm in the UK has reached several major milestones in the construction of foundations and onshore and offshore electrical systems and is now preparing for the first turbine installation expected in the coming weeks.
Last week, Cadeler’s wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) Wind Peak arrived, ready to transport the first set of Siemens Gamesa’s SG 14-222 DD turbine components to the project site, located 195 kilometres offshore, for installation.
The WTIV can transport and install seven complete 15 MW turbine sets or five sets of 20+ MW turbines per load.
Wind Peak features a deck space of 5,600 square metres, a payload capacity of over 17,600 tonnes and a main crane capacity of above 2,500 tonnes at 53 metres. The vessel can accommodate up to 130 crew members and installation technicians.
Additionally, Siemens Gamesa has produced the first of 150 recyclable blades in Hull, which are now ready for installation on 50 of Sofia’s 100 turbines this spring.
“As wind energy becomes a cornerstone of the global energy transition, more than one million tons of blade material is expected to be installed annually. Our recyclable blades can give those materials a second use,” said Marc Becker , Siemens Gamesa Head of Offshore.
“At Hull, we are proud to be producing 150 recyclable blades for Sofia. This is a major landmark moment: Sofia, one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world, will be the first in UK waters to feature this industry-leading innovation.”
More than Half of Sofia Foundations Now In
The foundation installation started last year at the project site, located on Dogger Bank in the central North Sea.
The installation of monopiles , manufactured by EEW Special Pipe Constructions, is being carried out by Van Oord, under a contract signed with RWE in 2021.
The monopiles have a diameter of up to 8.8 metres, a length of up to 92 metres, and weigh up to 1,530 tonnes.
So far, more than half of the turbine foundations have been installed. The offshore converter station , onshore substation, and onshore and offshore export cables are also in place in preparation for the first generation later this year, said RWE.
“Sofia is RWE’s largest offshore construction project globally and remains on track and on budget to generate first power this year. This impressive progress reflects the expertise of our RWE team and the strong support of our supply chain partners, ensuring the successful delivery of flagship projects like Sofia,” said Sven Utermöhlen , RWE CEO of Offshore Wind.
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