First turbine for Global Tech 1 due

GERMANY: The 400MW Global Tech 1 offshore wind farm is to have the first of its 80 5MW turbines installed 'within a few weeks', project developer Windreich has said.

The Areva 5MW turbine

Construction firm Hochtief will install the inaugural Areva turbine at the offshore site using the Thor jack-up vessel, and in the autumn a further installation ship will be deployed.

Turbines will be installed while tripod foundations continue to be placed in work that is scheduled to finish within six months.

In an interim solution, the wind farm's turbines will be connected to the onshore network via the Borwin 1 converter platform and cable link, which also serves Bard Offshore 1, until the delayed Borwin 2 cable link intended for Global Tech 1 has been completed.

Global Tech 1 involves the largest project finance in the renewables sector to date, with EUR 1.05billion of debt secured by project company Global Tech1 Offshore Wind, a consortium of European firms.

The wind farm is also being installed in the deepest water, at up to 65 metres, and is furthest from the coast, at 110km, of any offshore project so far.