The wind farm will consist of 89 wind turbines with a capacity of 4.3 MW each. It will have a total rated power output of over 380 MW and will boost the sustainable energy being supplied to the Province of Friesland. Following completion, Siemens Gamesa will service the wind farm for at least 16 years.
Van Oord will be responsible for the Balance of Plant work, including the design, fabrication, and installation of the foundations and cables for the wind project. The company will also supply the equipment for installing the turbines. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy will be responsible for the design, fabrication, and commissioning of the SWT-DD-130 wind turbines and the onshore substation. Each turbine will have an individual capacity of 4.3 MW and a 130-meter rotor diameter, with a hub height of 109 metres. The consortium will cooperate with local partners and support local initiatives in order to stimulate the Frisian economy.
The project also includes the construction of a nature conservation island next to the Afsluitdijk dam with 25 hectares of sheltered shallow water. Two hectares of new land will be created using soil material from the IJsselmeer Lake. The island will be used during the construction phase and will then be transformed into a nature conservation area. New natural habitats will be developed on the banks of the island, both above and below water, aimed at attracting fish and bird life.
“We’re proud to once again bring our Siemens Gamesa direct drive wind turbine technology to the IJsselmeer Lake with the Fryslân project” said Andreas Nauen, CEO of the Offshore Business Unit at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. “Partnering with Van Oord allows us as solid, experienced partners to bring a shared commitment to reducing the Levelised Cost of Energy from offshore wind and providing clean energy to our customer Windpark Fryslân B.V.”.
Arnoud Kuis, Managing Director Offshore Wind at Van Oord, added that building the wind farm is an important step forward in meeting climate objectives for both the country as a whole and for the Province of Friesland.
The final contracts for the construction are expected to be signed later this year and construction work will begin in 2019. The entire project involves an investment amount of over 500 million euros and is expected to be in full operation by mid-2021.
The Province of Friesland is aiming to generate 16 percent of its energy demand from sustainable sources by 2020, with more than 60 percent of this target being generated by the Fryslân nearshore wind farm.
Image: IJsselmeer Lake (Photo: Sergey Ashmarin)
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