.jpg)
The first Gravity-Based Foundation (GBF) has been successfully installed
onto the sea bed as the latest step in the development of the
Blyth
Offshore Demonstrator wind farm
– the first time the ‘float and submerge’ method has been used on an
offshore wind farm.
EDF Energy Renewables is currently building the new wind farm off the Northumberland
coast. The project is composed of five wind turbines with a total generating
capacity of 41.5MW installed around 6.5km off the coast of Blyth. Once
operational, they are expected to generate enough electricity to power
around 34,000 homes.
Designed and built by Royal BAM Group, the concrete and steel GBFs were
constructed in the Neptune dry dock on the Tyne and floated down river
to the Port of Tyne where extra ballast was added ahead of their tow out
to the offshore site location using three standard tug vessels.
At the offshore site, Strukton is using a specialist vessel to pump sea
water into the foundation as ballast to lower it to the prepared sea bed.
Once located correctly in place, the water ballast is replaced with a sand
ballast to enable the foundation to rest securely on the sea bed to provide
the support structures that act as the foundations for the installation
of the wind turbines.
EDF Energy Renewables CEO, Matthieu Hue said:
“We are delighted to
have reached another successful milestone in this ground-breaking project.
“As well as playing an important role in the generation of low carbon
electricity, the Blyth scheme is playing a fundamental role in the in the
investigation and testing of new and emerging offshore wind farm installation
methods and technologies.
“As a result, this has been a complex and highly innovative project, but
to have successfully reached this latest important stage is very satisfying
and work will now progress towards completion of the project in the coming
months.”
Each GBF is made up of more than 1,800m
3 of concrete and weighs
over 15,000 tonnes when fully installed on the seabed. The structures have
a total height of around 60m from the base to the access platform.
Once all five GBFs are put into position in the coming weeks, specialist
contractor VBMS will start laying the special 66kV inter array and export
cables that will connect the wind farm to the new substation being constructed
at Blyth.
Five MHI Vestas V164 turbines, each with a capacity of 8.3MW, will then
be installed onto the GBFs. It is anticipated that the turbines will
start generating power by the end of the year.
Gareth Farrier, Divisional Director, BAM Nuttall, said:
“
BAM
is extremely proud to have successfully demonstrated our gravity base foundations
in collaboration with EDF Energy Renewables.
“The successful first immersion of the structure off the coast at Blyth
is the highlight of a very intense period of work, where the whole team
has worked extremely hard to attain this significant achievement“.
Wholly owned by EDF Energies Nouvelles, the
Blyth
Offshore Demonstrator wind farm
is being built by EDF Energy Renewables, a 50-50 UK joint venture between
EDF Energies Nouvelles and EDF Energy. The wind farm will be EDF Energy
Renewables’ second offshore wind farm construction following the
Teesside
wind farm off the North East coast at Redcar.
For more information please follow the
links provided. Alternatively click
here to view our interactive
map.