http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2018/04/scottland-breaks-offshore-wind-records-with-powerful-turbines-and-innovative-foundations.html
Scotland Breaks Offshore Wind Records with Powerful Turbines and
Innovative Foundations
April 10, 2018
By Jennifer Runyon Chief Editor
According to Vattenfall, two offshore wind industry firsts have been
achieved over the past two weeks in Scotland. On Monday, April 9, the
company announced that it successfully installed the world’s most
powerful single turbine — an 8.8-MW behemoth standing 191 meters to
blade tip and boasting a nacelle that is larger than the London Eye. The
turbine is one of 11 that will be installed at the European Offshore
Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), also known as the Aberdeen Offshore Wind
Farm.
Monday’s announcement is just two weeks after the first of EOWDC’s
suction bucket jacket foundations was successfully installed, the first
time that foundations of this type have been used at commercial scale.
The EOWDC facility is located in Aberdeen Bay. Vattenfall said that the
turbine it installed on Monday is one of two MHI Vestas turbines that
have enhanced internal power modes so that they generate more wind
energy. The two turbines have each increased from 8.4 MW to 8.8 MW.
Together with the nine 8.4-MW turbines, this boosts the EOWDC’s
generation capacity to 93.2 MW.
Gunnar Groebler, Vattenfall’s Head of Business Area Wind, said: “The
turbines for the EOWDC, Scotland’s largest offshore wind test and
demonstration facility, help secure Vattenfall’s vision to be fossil
fuel free within one generation. The EOWDC, through its innovative
approach to cost reduction and pioneering technologies, leads the
industry drive towards generating clean and competitive wind energy
power – one that will reinforce Scotland’s global energy status.”
EOWDC project director at Vattenfall, Adam Ezzamel remarked that
Vattenfall is excited to be working with the cutting-edge technology
deployed at the site.
“It is remarkable that just one rotation of the blades can power the
average UK home for a day,” he added.
The turbines are being transported from Esbjerg to Aberdeen by Swire
Blue Ocean’s vessel, the Pacific Orca, where they will be lifted into
position on the installed foundations. The Pacific Orca is believed to
be the world’s largest wind farm installation vessel.
