Construction has started on the BalWin delta offshore converter platform, which is scheduled to be installed in the North Sea in 2028.
Fabrication of the BalWin delta platform began last week in Batam, Indonesia, marked by a festive ceremony as block production of the topside got underway.
According to the German transmission system operator (TSO) TenneT, the topside will weigh around 30,000 tonnes, which is equivalent to approximately 750 fully loaded trucks. The unit will be 46 metres high, 110 metres long, and 77 metres wide.
The topside will be manufactured by up to 6,000 workers, said TenneT Germany.
BalWin delta is part of the BalWin4 offshore grid connection project. The platform is planned to be installed in the North Sea in 2028. From the end of 2029, BalWin delta will bring offshore wind-generated renewable energy to shore with a transmission capacity of 2 GW.
McDermott International is responsible for the design, fabrication, installation, and commissioning of the offshore converter substation platforms for two 2 GW HVDC grid connection systems, BalWin4 and LanWin1, under a contract signed with TenneT in 2023.
The consortium of Jan De Nul, LS Cable, and Denys will realise the cable connections in Lower Saxony, to BalWin4 and LanWin1, both to be connected in the Unterweser area, and LanWin5 in the Rastede area, Germany.