– German utility RWE completes installation of the first turbine foundation at 1.4GW Sofia Offshore Wind Farm
– Dutch company Van Oord’s vessel Aeolus is installing the foundations using monopiles
– Wind farm will feature 100 Siemens Gamesa 14MW offshore wind turbines, generating electricity for 1.2 million UK homes
RWE has completed the installation of the first offshore turbine foundation at the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm in the UK North Sea. The wind farm, located 195km from the UK coast, will feature 100 foundations over a 593km² area with subsea cable infrastructure in place by 2023. Van Oord’s vessel Aeolus is installing the foundations, each of which is 92m tall and weighs up to 1,530t.
The wind farm will use 100 Siemens Gamesa 14MW turbines, each standing at 252m tall with a rotor diameter of 222m. Once completed in 2026, the turbines are expected to generate enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes in the UK.
RWE’s offshore wind CEO, Sven Utermöhlen, commented on the significance of this milestone, calling it a great achievement for the company and acknowledging the dedication of the team involved in the project. The operations and maintenance of the wind farm will be managed from RWE’s Grimsby Hub, supporting both the Sofia and Triton Knoll offshore wind farms.
Overall, the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm is RWE’s largest offshore wind construction project, showcasing their expertise in delivering offshore wind energy globally.