MPI and Siemens have completed the installation of the turbines for the 288MW Sandbank offshore wind farm in the German North Sea.
The construction phase for the 72 machines has been completed three months ahead of schedule, project developers Vattenfall and Stadtwerke Munchen said.
Installation has been helped by good weather as well as a vessel with a so-called walk-to-work gangway that allows for work to be carried out 24 hours a day safely, they said.
The first Siemens SWT-4.0-130 turbine was installed at the end of July at the site 90km west of the island of Sylt and first power was supplied in September. 65 out of the 72 machines already deliver electricity to the German power grid.
MPI Adventure installed the turbines, while service operations vessel Acergy Viking supported the commissioning.
“The technology deployed on the project as well as the co-operation between all involved parties have gained a lot in terms of maturity,” Vattenfall’s technical head for the project Martin Zappe said.
“Projects of this size are now much more standardized and efficient. We will use these experiences for future projects to implement them as cost efficient as possible, also with regards to the new auction system for coming offshore projects in Germany.”
Image: Vattenfall and Stadtwerke Munchen
