EDF has floated out the first of five gravity-base foundations for its 41.5MW Blyth offshore wind demonstration project off the Northumberland coast.
Fabricator BAM produced all five foundations at the Neptune dry dock on the river Tyne.
The foundations will be installed using a new ‘float and submerge’ method – the first time this process has been used for offshore turbines, EDF said.
Each foundation is made up of more than 1800 square metres of concrete and weighs over 15,000 tonnes when fully installed on the seabed.
The structures have a total height of about 60 metres from the base to the access platform, EDF said.
The structures are being floated down the river to the Port of Tyne, where extra ballast will be added ahead of tow-out to the offshore wind farm site.
Once the foundations are installed over the summer, VBMS will start laying inter array cables.
Jan de Nul jack-up Vole au Vent will then start installation of the five MHI Vestas 8.3MW V164 turbines.
EDF said the wind farm is expected to start generating power by the end of the year.
EDF Energy Renewables chief executive Matthieu Hue said: “This is the first major offshore operation on this project and over the coming months people will be able to see the wind farm being built out at sea.
“This ground-breaking scheme will benefit the North East of England and help the UK to meet its future low carbon electricity needs.”
Image: EDF
Blyth feet take first steps
UPDATE: Foundations weigh 15,000 tonnes and have a height of 60 metres
By EBS