Offshore construction has started at the East Anglia Three offshore wind farm site in the UK, with the first of 95 monopile foundations now installed by the jack-up vessel Seaway Ventus.
Standing at 83.89 metres tall, 10.6 metres in diameter and weighing 1,800 tonnes, the monopile also represents a new offshore wind industry record – becoming the largest installed to date from a jack-up vessel in Europe, ScottishPower Renewables said.
The first of 95 transition pieces (TPs), produced by Windar Renovables, has also been installed, with each 20 metres in height, 8 metres in diameter, and weighing more than 400 tonnes.
? Offshore construction at our biggest-ever renewables project is officially underway! ?️ The first of 95 monopile foundations that will form the basis of our East Anglia THREE offshore windfarm is now in place. Standing at almost 84m tall and weighing around 1,800 tonnes,… pic.twitter.com/b7TiSV2cKV
“The installation of our first East Anglia THREE foundation is a real wow moment for both ScottishPower and Iberdrola. It represents a mammoth feat of engineering, skill and a huge amount of work. We’re talking an incredible 1800 tonnes of steel, safely and securely lifted and then precisely placed in the exact spot in an area the size of almost 43,000 football pitches. We’ve never built anything of this scale before,” said Charlie Jordan , ScottishPower Renewables CEO.
Haizea Wind Group and the Navantia-Windar consortium are manufacturing the monopile foundations and transition pieces for the project.
The first of 95 monopiles was installed by Seaway7’s Seaway Ventus vessel.
The company is responsible for the installation of all monopiles and transition pieces on the 1.4 GW East Anglia Three under a contract signed in June 2023 , which encompasses the transport and installation of 95 monopile foundations, associated seabed preparation and scour protection, and the engineering, supply, and installation of the inter-array cables.
The installation of all 95 Siemens Gamesa 14+ MW wind turbines is expected to be completed by early 2026.
ScottishPower Renewables recently signed charter agreements with Caister-based NR Marine Services and Great Yarmouth-based OEG to provide vessels to support the construction of the 1.4 GW East Anglia Three offshore wind farm.
“East Anglia THREE will be the biggest-ever windfarm across the whole of the Iberdrola group and the second largest in the world when it comes into operation. To visibly see it starting to take shape in the North Sea is a real milestone moment and definitely something to be proud of. This project is a fantastic example of how we’re generating more secure, green electricity for the UK; investing in the country’s clean energy future; and supporting jobs and opportunities for decades to come,” said Jordan .
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