The three companies have signed a binding Turbine Supply Agreement and Balance of Plant Contract for the construction of the Merkur offshore wind farm. The agreements including the supply and installation of 66 Alstom Haliade 150-6MW offshore wind turbines. Alstom has also signed a long-term service and maintenance contract.
Alstom will supply the turbines which will be installed by DEME. The 400 MW Merkur offshore wind farm is one of the largest wind farms in Germany and is located 45 kilometres north of Borkum in the German North Sea. It will be built and operated by Merkur Offshore and has now passed all authorisations as well as obtaining a grid connection. The construction of the wind farm will begin in 2016 and will be undertaken by GeoSea, a member of the DEME Group.
“This is the largest offshore wind contract signed by Alstom outside France on a major and significant market, coming after the winning of the construction of the first offshore wind farm in the US” said Jérôme Pécresse, President of Alstom Renewable Power. “The Merkur Offshore contract is also the first offshore wind project led by Alstom in Germany, which is particularly important for our further business development in Germany and Northern Europe. We are very proud to support the energy transition in Germany with this major project.”
Alain Bernard, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the DEME Group added that the combination of favourable sea bed conditions and one of the strongest and most reliable wind resources in the world means that Merkur Offshore will provide a significant contribution to Germany’s energy transition plans and European clean energy targets.
The Alstom Haliade 150-6MW direct drive wind turbine was developed for the industry’s most challenging offshore conditions and combines proven technology and innovation. It has a high energy yield – thanks to its 150 metre diameter rotor. The first prototype was installed onshore in 2012 at Le Carnet in France. This was followed by the first offshore pilot installation in the Belwind wind park, 46 kilometres off the Belgian coast. All Alstom offshore wind turbines will be manufactured in the new French facilities in Saint-Nazaire.
The DEME Group has participated in the construction of many large-scale European offshore wind farms including Alpha Ventus, EnBW Baltic 2 and Trianel West Borkum II in German waters, the Westermost Rough and West of Duddon Sand offshore wind farms in the UK, Walney and the Ormonde offshore wind farms in the Irish Sea and C-Power and Northwind wind farms off the Belgian Coast. GeoSea is also working on several offshore wind projects such as Godewind in Germany and the Kentish Flats Extension in the UK.
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