Preparations are underway in the Dutch port of Rotterdam for installation of GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X 12MW offshore turbine prototype.
The Future Wind consortium, a joint venture between local companies Pondera Development and Sif, held a ground-breaking ceremony today to mark the milestone.
A foundation at the Maasvlakte site (pictured) will contain 50 piles covered by a 28-metre long foundation plate.
The 12MW turbine will be installed in the summer. A nacelle is being manufactured at GE’s Saint-Nazaire plant and blades at LM Wind Power’s Cherbourg facility, both in France, while the tower is being fabricated in Spain.
The US company hopes to secure type certification in 2020 and ship the first commercial units in 2021.
Future Wind managers Hans Rijntalder and Diederik de Bruin said: “We are very pleased to accommodate the Haliade X-12MW, it marks a new step in offshore wind and supports the purpose of Sif and Pondera to encourage the improvement of the wind energy sector.”
GE product management general manager added: “We are very excited about our prototype in Rotterdam, and we are on schedule to install the biggest and more powerful wind turbine in the world, that will contribute to make offshore wind energy more competitive.”