Dutch Offshore Wind Innovation Site Fully Commissioned

The 19 MW Borssele V wind farm in the Dutch North Sea has been fully commissioned, Two Towers, the consortium behind the ”innovation site”, said.

Situated within the site III of the Borssele Wind Farm Zone, Borssele V features two Vestas 9.5 MW turbines and several innovations, one of which is a submerged Slip Joint. The design and manufacturing of the Slip Joint were certified by DNV GL in the autumn of 2019.

Other innovations include Thermally Sprayed Aluminium (TSA), Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) optimisation, and oval cable entry holes.

The seabed surrounding the two Borssele V wind turbines is fitted with eco-friendly scour protection. This technology is used to explore how nature and renewable energy generation can be mutually enhancing. Oysters will be placed on the protective layer of rock on the seabed to improve biodiversity and the natural habitat for aquatic wildlife.

By testing and demonstrating these innovations the Borssele V will contribute to lowering both the Levelised Cost Of Energy and the environmental impact of offshore wind farms, Two Towers said.

The consortium, comprising Van Oord, Investri Offshore, and Green Giraffe, has also entered into a partnership with Dutch energy company Vandebron. This partnership means that consumers can purchase their renewable electricity directly from this project.

Van Oord was contracted as the Balance of Plant contractor for this project. The project has been completed on time and within budget during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Van Oord deployed a wide range of equipment at the project, including offshore installation vessel Aeolus, the trencher Dig-It, and cable-laying vessel Nexus. All of the innovations at the Borssele Site V have been developed by Van Oord in cooperation with other research partners. The Slip Joint is a full in-house design by Van Oord.

”We are very proud to have reached this milestone. Our team did an excellent job and the good cooperation with Blauwwind, our neighbours at Borssele offshore windfarm III & IV, was of great importance for the execution of this project,” Jan-Willem Elleswijk, Director at Van Oord Offshore Wind, said.