Alstom’s 6MW Offshore Wind Turbine Loaded at Ostend, Belgium

The various components of Alstom’s 6MW offshore wind turbine, currently one of the most powerful on the market, are in the process of being loaded onto the liftboat or self-elevating wind turbine installation and crane unit, “Bold Tern”, in the port of Ostend, Belgium.

The vessel, owned by Fred Olsen Windcarrier, specialists in the transport and installation of offshore wind turbines, will then carry out its installation in the Belwind wind park, 45 km off the Ostend coast.

It is because of the exceptional dimensions of its new 6MW offshore wind turbine that Alstom has contracted the services of the latest generation of liftboats. With its 73.5m long blades, the rotor has a diameter of 150m.

Built in 2012, the Bold Tern entered into service with Fred Olsen Windcarrier in February 2013 to manage the installation of the newest offshore wind turbines. In addition to its open deck area of 3,200m2, the vessel is equipped with extremely robust cranes to cope with loading 800 tonne components as the ship is at sea. The Bold Tern is equipped with a DP2 dynamic positioning system for increased safety. These specific features enable the vessel to cope with challenging weather conditions.

Key dates

• 25 september: Bold Tern ship arrives at the Port of Ostend in Belgium.
• 30 september – 01 october : loading of the tower components
• 5-6 october : loading of the rotor and the third blade
• 7 october : Bold Tern ship leaves Port of Ostend
• 8 october : Bold Tern arrives at Belwind wind park, and starts installation of tower components
• 11 october : 2 first tower components installed, but the rough weather conditions have put operations on hold.
• 15 october : third tower component installed during a less windy night. Rough weather conditions have put operations on hold again.

Key figures:

• A 6MW Haliade wind turbine provides sufficient energy to power 5,000 homes.
• The diameter of the Haliade wind turbine’s rotor measures 150m – one of the largest ever built.
• The blades are 73.5m long.
• The Haliade 150 rotor can cover a surface area of 17,860m2.
• The nacelle weighs around 400 tonnes and the total weight of the Haliade 150, its jacket foundation and the mast is 1,500 tonnes.
• Offshore wind sub-stations installed or in the process of being installed by Alstom Grid will produce a total of more than 2.9 GW.
• The 6MW Haliade 150 is adapted to sites where the wind reference speed is 50 m/s (average over 10 minutes) and with gusts which could reach 70 m/s (average over 3 seconds), in other words, the highest speed registered over the past 50 years.

[mappress]

Press release, October 24, 2013; Image: alstom