Vattenfall has initiated a transition piece mock-up for its Nordlicht offshore wind project at CS Wind Offshore’s facility in Aalborg, Denmark, as part of preparations for offshore installation works.
The onshore testing programme is designed to simulate key installation, safety and working procedures before offshore construction begins. The transition pieces, manufactured by CS Wind Offshore for Nordlicht I, measure approximately 23.7 metres in height, with a weight of around 362 tonnes.
The mock-up includes testing of installation processes such as assembly, bolting, cable pulling and routing, as well as safety and rescue procedures under realistic conditions. The aim is to optimise workflows, interfaces and safety measures ahead of offshore execution.
Offshore construction is scheduled to begin with foundation installation for Nordlicht I in July 2026, followed by Nordlicht II around one year later. The monopiles and transition pieces at Nordlicht offshore project sites will be installed by DEME.
The monopiles, to be supplied by EEW, will be up to 80.5 metres long and weigh as much as 1,290 tonnes, with 68 monopiles and their accompanying transition pieces to be installed at Nordlicht I, which will comprise 68 Vestas V236-15.0 MW wind turbines, and 44 at Nordlicht II.
The two Nordlicht wind farms, located 85 kilometres north of Borkum Island in the German North Sea, are expected to be fully commissioned in 2028 and, with a combined installed capacity of 1.6 GW, generate around 6 TWh of electricity annually, according to Vattenfall.