Installation of the 31 steel monopile foundations is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year with the whole site due to be completed in the second half of 2019.
Offshore contractor Van Oord is responsible for engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of 31 monopiles and transition pieces at the site, developed by Canadian company Northland Power.
The 78-metre long, 1,100-tonne monopiles from sub-contractor EEW Special Pipe Constructions are being delivered from Rostock on the Baltic Sea coast by barge to Cuxhaven, Germany, on the North Sea coast.
Meanwhile, the 26-metre high, 300-tonne-plus transition pieces are made by a joint venture (JV) of fabrication specialist Idesa and foundation manufacturer Windar Renovables and transported from their production site in Spain to Cuxhaven, ahead of installation.
From there, UK company Seajacks’ jack-up installation vessel Scylla carries three monopiles and transition pieces per trip from the harbour to the construction site — approximately 200km from the shore.
During installation, a hydro sound damper and bubble curtain are being deployed to reduce noise levels.
Deutsche Bucht will eventually comprise 33 MHI Vestas V164-8.0MW turbines uprated to 8.4MW.
It will also feature foundations — in which the base of the foundation uses its own weight and a vacuum to seal itself to the seabed. It will be the first commercial deployment of the technology.
Northland Power from Highland Group Holdings in March 2017.
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