Offshore works are ramping up at Orsted’s 1400MW Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm off England with DEME’s jack-up installation vessel Innovation due to commence monopile works in October.
In total, 165 monopiles and transition pieces will be installed at the wind farm 89 km off the Yorkshire coast to support the project’s 8.4MW turbines, due online in 2022.
Swire Blue Ocean’s jack-up Pacific Orca will also begin works on location next year to support construction.
Turbines will have a height from sea level to blade tip of 204 metres and will also feature new 81-metre long blades, currently being fabricated at the Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy blade factory in Hull.
Orsted Hornsea 2 programme director Patrick Harnett said the company was pleased to take its next steps towards construction of the “game changing” wind farm despite the challenging times.
He added: “We’re extremely pleased to once again work alongside suppliers who share our vision for a greener world and look forward to the upcoming milestones that will continue to pave the way in terms of innovation for offshore wind.”
DEME Offshore general manager Bart De Poorter commented: “After months of detailed planning and by working in close collaboration with Orsted and our suppliers, we are delighted to kick-off the offshore installation works at Hornsea Two.
“We have approached this complex project as true partners, which has been crucial considering the unprecedented circumstances we are dealing with.
“Not only are we confronted with the challenges brought to us by the Coronavirus but we had to overcome the setback when the new offshore installation vessel Orion had a crane accident before she was delivered to DEME.”
A selection of 30 transition pieces are being manufactured at EEW OSB’s factory in Teesside, with the first load out having recently been completed, whilst Danish based Bladt are supplying the remaining 135 pieces.